On February 23rd, the Indiana Senate voted 40-10 in favor of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act which will allow private businesses, individuals and organizations to discriminate against LGBT people on religious grounds
On February 23rd, the Indiana Senate voted 40-10 in favor of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act which will allow private businesses, individuals and organizations to discriminate against LGBT people on religious grounds.
According to JG Local, the measure was only supported by Republicans.
Defending the vote, co-author Senator Scott Schneider (right) said that the bill will act as a buffer to “a growing hostility toward people of faith.”
Jennifer Pizer, National Director of the Law and Policy Project at Lambda Legal, has issued a statement condemning the bill's passage:
“We are extremely disappointed that Indiana's Senate voted to allow religious discrimination in many areas of life for Indiana's families, workers and others.
"We have seen this over and over – bills that say they are about protecting one thing when the real goal is to target and discriminate against LGBT people, with vast implications for everyone else. As written, this bill will upend the balance between religious freedom and freedom from imposition of others' religious beliefs."
Activist group Freedom Indiana has also issued a statement in reaction to the passage of the legislation, which reads in part:
“Discrimination is not a core Hoosier value, and the people who will be affected by this legislation are ready to take action to make sure their voices are heard. We look forward to an engaging, informative debate in the Indiana House."
As the fight now moves to the Indiana House, Lambda Legal and Freedom Indiana are now working together to defeat the act.
Watch Indiana Governor Mike Pence and religious leaders speak in favor of the bill, AFTER THE JUMP…
Indiana currently has no statewide discrimination protections for LGBT people.
