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 Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, signed his state's
Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law minutes after it passed
in the statehouse.
Indiana Governor Mike Pence, also a Republican, signed a revised
religious freedom law that amended one he signed last week. The
original measure catapulted the state into a firestorm because it
lacked specific provisions to prevent denial of services and other
discrimination against gays.
The state drew the ire of companies like Apple Inc, boycotts of
official travel by the states of New York and Connecticut, and
protests by civil liberties groups and individuals from around the
country.
Some local politicians and the state's largest newspaper, the
Indianapolis Star, called for an immediate fix to the bill, fearing
it would pummel the state's economy and create the perception that
Indiana was intolerant of certain groups.
"In the midst of this furious debate, I have prayed earnestly for
wisdom and compassion, and I have felt the prayers of people across
this state and across this nation," Pence said in a statement.
Pence did not mention gender identity or sexual orientation in the
statement.
As pressure built against Indiana, legislators in Arkansas prepared
to vote on that state's RFRA, and Hutchinson came under pressure
from Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world's largest retailer, concerned
the bill would send the wrong message about the state. Wal-Mart is
headquartered in Arkansas.
Hutchinson said the state had crafted an "Arkansas solution" meant
to make the state's religious freedom law more closely mirror a
federal law that had been signed by former President Bill Clinton, a
Democrat.
"It recognizes the diversity and culture of our workforce and
protects religious freedom," Hutchinson said.
Critics have said the measures were part of a broader effort in
socially conservative states to push back against a series of U.S.
court decisions allowing same-sex marriage. The U.S. Supreme Court
is set to take up the issue this month.
Supporters have said the laws do not allow for discrimination and
are needed to protect religious freedom.
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Twenty U.S. states and the federal government have RFRAs, which
allow individuals to sue the government if they believe their First
Amendment religious rights have been violated.
The original measures in Indiana and Arkansas go further than all
but that of Texas, allowing lawsuits between private parties. The
Texas law also includes provisions that it cannot be used to violate
civil rights.
That raised the possibility of businesses using the law as a defense
if they are sued, such as realtors for refusing to show homes to a
member of the LGBT community or caterers if they rejected a request
to provide for a same-sex wedding.
In Indiana, lawmakers flanked by gay-rights activists unveiled
changes to protect civil liberties. Thursday's news conference was a
dramatic turnaround from Pence's signing act, which was attended by
some religious activists who decried homosexuality as a mortal sin.
The rewritten Indiana proposal specifies that it does not authorize
a provider to refuse to do business with anyone on the basis of
"race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, disability,
sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or United States military
service."
However, churches and religious organizations are exempt, which
could allow them to use the law as a defense if they were sued by an
individual claiming discrimination.
(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas, Fiona Ortiz in
Chicago, David Bailey in Minneapolis and Steve Barnes in Little
Rock; Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by James Dalgleish, Toni
Reinhold)
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