Governors Sign Revised Religious Freedom Bills After Public Outrage

Governors Asa Hutchison of Arkansas and Mike Pence of Indiana both signed into law redrafted bills aimed at protecting the religious freedoms of business owners. Both states faced angry backlash over the proposed legislations, which were criticized for being homophobic and discriminating against the LGBT community.

Hutchinson signed Senate Bill 975, after it passed the state’s House of Representatives in a 76-16 vote. Later Thursday Pence signed into law an amended bill written by that state’s legislature. 

Pence last week signed into law the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which allows business owners to refuse service if it is within their religious convictions to do so. The move was met with international outrage, including from corporations who said they would refuse to do business in Indiana. Arkansas’ bill was slammed on the same grounds before it made it to the governor’s desk.

The amendment to Indiana’s law specified that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act does not “authorize a provider to refuse to offer or provide services, facilities, use of public accommodations, goods, employment, or housing to any member or members of the general public on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or United States military service.”