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Religious Freedom Act to Be Clarified to Avoid LGBT Discrimination

© REUTERS / Nate ChuteDemonstrators gather at Monument Circle to protest a controversial religious freedom bill recently signed by Governor Mike Pence during a rally in Indianapolis March 28, 2015
Demonstrators gather at Monument Circle to protest a controversial religious freedom bill recently signed by Governor Mike Pence during a rally in Indianapolis March 28, 2015 - Sputnik International
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Indiana Governor Mike Pence said that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) may be clarified amid accusations that the law discriminates the LGBT community.

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MOSCOW, March 29 (Sputnik) — The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) may be clarified to point out that the legislation does not discriminate against the LGBT community, Indiana Governor Mike Pence told The Indianapolis Star newspaper.

On Thursday, Pence signed the controversial bill granting strongly religious people the right to refuse services for same-sex couples.

"I support religious liberty, and I support this law. But we are in discussions with legislative leaders this weekend to see if there's a way to clarify the intent of the law," Pence was quoted as saying by the newspaper Sunday.

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Pence said that the public backlash against the law resulted from misunderstanding, insisting that RFRA would not facilitate discriminating approach toward gays and lesbians.

The governor is said to have acknowledged, however, that Indiana's image had been dealt damage by the controversy surrounding the new law.

The RFRA was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1993. In 1997, US Supreme Court ruled that the federal law does not apply to states.

The bill was approved in Indiana on Monday by 63 votes against 31. Five Republicans and 26 Democrats opposed the bill, according to the newspaper.

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