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 Arkansas lawmakers, however, signaled they would move forward with
their own bill, even after Indiana was rebuked by companies and
executives including Wal-Mart Stores Inc <WMT.N>, Apple Inc <AAPL.O>
CEO Tim Cook, and Eli Lilly and Co <LLY.N>.
Indiana's law, signed by Governor Mike Pence last week, was
perceived as going further than those passed in 19 other states,
giving businesses a right to refuse services on religious grounds.
Gay marriage became legal in Indiana last year following an appeals
court ruling, and gay rights activists say Republicans pushed
through the act in response. It was enacted months before an
expected U.S. Supreme Court ruling over state bans on same-sex
marriage.
The law has drawn intense criticism, including concerns from the
president of the Indianapolis-based National Collegiate Athletic
Association, which is holding its men's basketball championship
Final Four in the city beginning this weekend.
On Monday, Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma and state Senate
President Pro Tem David Long, both Republicans, told reporters the
law was not intended to discriminate, and that it sets a legal
standard allowing people of all faiths to bring religious freedom
claims.
"To the extent that we need to clarify that, by adding something to
the law to make that clear that's not the intent, we are more than
willing to do it," Long said.
Nine chief executive officers, including the heads of Angie's List
<ANGI.O> and Eli Lilly, wrote letters to Pence, Bosma and Long on
Monday asking them to "take immediate action" to ensure the act will
not sanction or encourage discrimination.
Thousands rallied against the law in Indianapolis last weekend and
Washington state's governor on Monday said the state would join
Connecticut, San Francisco and Seattle in banning official travel to
Indiana.
The rock band Wilco announced on Twitter on Monday it was canceling
its May 7 Indianapolis show because of this "odious measure."
"We've been embarrassed before the nation," Indiana House Minority
Leader Scott Pelath, a Democrat, told reporters, calling for the
law's repeal.
[to top of second column]
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PENCE DEFENDS LAW
Bosma said lawmakers were looking at different options for
clarifying the law.
Pence on Monday defended it in an op-ed piece in the Wall Street
Journal, saying it "has been grossly misconstrued."
"I want to make clear to (Indiana residents) and every American that
despite what critics and many in the national media have asserted,
the law is not a 'license to discriminate,' either in Indiana or
elsewhere," he said.
On Sunday, Pence said he would not push for a nondiscrimination bill
to counteract its possible impact, but said he was open to the
General Assembly adding a section that clarifies the law.
Earlier in March, a Senate-approved bill in Georgia was put on hold
after a House member added anti-discrimination language.
On Monday, North Carolina's governor said he would not sign a
religious freedom bill because it would allow government officials
to refuse to perform marriages on religious grounds.
In Arkansas, the Republican-controlled House is expected to approve
a bill advanced by state senators, and Republican Governor Asa
Hutchinson has said he would sign it.
Arkansas-based retail giant Wal-Mart Stores said the bill sends the
"wrong message" about the state.
(Reporting and writing by Fiona Ortiz in Chicago; Additional
reporting by Mary Wisniewski in Chicago, David Beasley in Atlanta,
Jon Herskovitz in Austin and Colleen Jenkins in Winston-; Salem,
North Carolina; Editing by Susan Heavey, Eric Beech and Eric Walsh)
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