Republicans vow to “clarify” RFRA but Democrats say it’s not enough

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Published: Monday, 30 March 2015 20:03

INDIANAPOLIS - Republican legislative leaders are vowing to clarify the Religious Freedom Restoration Act but the state’s top Democratic lawmakers want it repealed.

House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, and Senate President Pro Tempore David Long, R-Fort Wayne, spoke to the media to try and clarify and further explain RFRA, which was signed into law by Gov. Mike Pence on Thursday.

Both Bosma and Long say the new law “does not, and will not” be allowed to discriminate against anyone, specifically gay and lesbian Hoosiers.

“There were questions asked this weekend about whether Senate Bill 101 was designed, had intent or would have the effect of discriminating against gay and lesbian Hoosiers — the answer is no,” said Bosma.

“What we had hoped for with the bill was a message of inclusion, inclusion of all religious beliefs. What instead has come out as a message of exclusion, and that was not the intent and hopefully not the effect.”

One of the main concerns Hoosiers are voicing is whether or not this bill allows businesses to deny services to individuals based on their sexual orientation.

Bosma said legislators became aware that Indiana did not have RFRA legislation after being notified by lawyers around the time of the Hobby Lobby lawsuit which also garnered national media attention.

Long said multiple times the legislation is in no way condoning any form of discrimination.

“We don’t believe anyone should be discriminated against. We wouldn’t have supported this law if we had thought that would be the effect of it,” said Long.

“We don’t support discrimination against anyone, and this law doesn’t do that and it’s never done that in the past. I think unfortunately it’s been misconstrued. It’s very important that people understand that’s not the intent of the law. It won’t be allowed to be used in Indiana that way.”

However, minority leaders Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, and Sen. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, are calling for a repeal of RFRA.

Lanane said he is “very disappointed” and that “ Republican leadership has utterly failed in the handling of this situation.”

Lanane and Pelath emphasized the image Indiana has been given over the past several days and said that constituents have told them this legislation is not representative of Hoosier hospitality.

“We must send a strong signal, and that signal is— in Indiana, we do not condone discrimination, we do not tolerate discrimination, and we will not legislate discrimination,” said Lanane.

While Republican leaders offered to add clarifying language to the bill, Democratic leaders say that doesn’t go far enough.

“If Republicans want a fix, there’s only one choice, and that is to repeal this law.”

Instead, Lanane and Pelath said they are ready to add language to the Indiana Civil Rights Act, guaranteeing “protection for every citizen.”

One major concern democrat leaders raised was how the newly passed bill would and has already negatively effected Indiana’s reputation and economy.

“We have had some of the biggest business leaders in our state and in our nation say that this is an insufferable course of action,” said Pelath.

“It’s moved beyond the legalisms. It’s about the image of our state. These have real implications, for real people— in a business sense.”

“The fact is that Hoosiers are extraordinarily tolerant and welcoming. And what I am gratified by is that they are better than their governmental leaders,” said Pelath.

Pence appeared on ABC’s This Week on Sunday but didn’t give a direct answer as to whether RFRA would pave the way for discrimination against the state’s LGBT community.

“If there’s one thing that I hope the rest of the nation sees, it is the voices of protest,” said Pelath. “It is the voices of dissent. It is the people standing up for their friends and neighbors and fellow citizens and saying that this is wrong.”

Article writer Katie Stancombe is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.