Religious Freedom Restoration Act (Indiana)

Last updated

Religious Freedom Restoration Act (Indiana)
Seal of Indiana.svg
Indiana State Legislature
Full nameReligious Freedom Restoration Act
IntroducedJanuary 6, 2015
House votedMarch 23, 2015
Senate votedFebruary 24, 2015
Signed into lawMarch 26, 2015
Sponsor(s) Timothy Wesco, Jud McMillin, Donald Lehe, Milo E. Smith, Bruce Borders, Dale DeVon, Tim Harman, Bob Heaton, Christopher Judy, Eric Koch, Robert Morris, Alan Morrison, Mike Speedy, Jeffrey Thompson, Thomas Washburne, Matt Lehman, David Frizzell, Randy Frye, Richard Hamm, Curt Nisly, Woody Burton, Anthony Cook, Doug Miller, Jim Lucas, Rhonda Rhoads
Governor Mike Pence
BillSB 101
Website http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/bills/senate/101
Status: Current legislation

Indiana Senate Bill 101, titled the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), [1] is a law in the U.S. state of Indiana, which allows individuals and companies to assert as a defense in legal proceedings that their exercise of religion has been, or is likely to be, substantially burdened. [2] [3]

Contents

The bill was approved by a vote of 40–10 [4] and on March 26, 2015, Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed SB 101 into law. [5] The bill is similar to the Arizona SB 1062 vetoed by Governor Jan Brewer in 2014, which would have expanded Arizona's existing RFRA to include corporations. [6] [7]

The law's signing was met with criticism by such organizations as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Tim Cook (CEO of Apple Inc.), Subaru of America, the gamer convention Gen Con, and the Disciples of Christ. Technology company Salesforce.com said it would halt its plans to expand in the state, [8] as did Angie's List. [9] Opponents of the law claim that it is targeted against LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people and other groups. Proponents of the law claim that it protects free exercise of religion and freedom of conscience. [10] [11]

Thousands protested against the policy, [12] [13] in part because of Indiana's reputation for "Hoosier hospitality". [14] [15] Greg Ballard, the Republican mayor of Indianapolis, called on the legislature to repeal the law, or add explicit protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. [16] Mike Pence and Republican leadership in Indiana have defended the bill, stating it is not about discrimination. [10] [17] [18]

Background

Indiana's Attorney General Greg Zoeller has written amicus briefs supporting same-sex marriage bans in Hollingsworth v. Perry and United States v. Windsor and appealed the Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriage in Indiana. [19] [20] Politifact reports that "Conservatives in Indiana and elsewhere see the Religious Freedom Restoration Act as a vehicle for fighting back against the legalization of same-sex marriage." [21] In 2015, the Alabama Supreme Court ordered a halt to the issuing of same-sex marriage licenses, [22] Kansas rescinded an LGBT anti-discrimination order, [23] and Arkansas prohibited anti-discrimination codes being enacted by cities and local governments. [24]

Indiana, unlike neighboring Illinois, does not have a state-wide anti-discrimination ordinance, and the majority of the state does not have local ordinances against discrimination against LGBT people. When a reporter asked Speaker of the House Brian Bosma whether it would be against the law for a business to put up a "no gays allowed" sign, he stated that "it would depend" on whether the business was in "a community that had a human rights ordinance." [25] [26]

In 2000, Pence stated "Congress should oppose any effort to recognize homosexual's [ sic ] [27] as a 'discreet [ sic ] and insular minority' entitled to the protection of anti-discrimination laws similar to those extended to women and ethnic minorities." He called for "an audit to ensure that federal dollars were no longer being given to organizations that celebrate and encourage the types of behaviors that facilitate the spreading of the HIV virus". [28] [29] [30] He commented that homosexuals should not serve in the military, stating "Homosexuality is incompatible with military service because the presence of homosexuals in the ranks weakens unit cohesion" and in 2010 stated that repealing Don't ask, don't tell would "have an impact on unit cohesion." [31] Pence opposed the 2009 Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act stating that Obama would "advance a radical social agenda" [32] and said that pastors "could be charged or be subject to intimidation for simply expressing a Biblical worldview on the issue of homosexual behavior." [33]

Burwell v. Hobby Lobby

.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}
20 States have existing RFRA Laws
Sixteen states have proposed legislation in 2015
Some states have RFRA laws and LGBT anti-discrimination ordinances Map of US states that have State Religious Freedom Restoration Acts - with Bills pending.svg
  20 States have existing RFRA Laws
  Sixteen states have proposed legislation in 2015
  Some states have RFRA laws and LGBT anti-discrimination ordinances

In 1993, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act was passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. [37] Originally, the federal law was intended to apply to federal, state, and local governments. In 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court in City of Boerne v. Flores held that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act only applies to the federal government, but not states and other local municipalities within them. As a result, 21 states passed state RFRAs before 2014.

In 2014, the United States Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. recognizing a for-profit corporation's claim of religious belief. Nineteen members of Congress who signed the original RFRA stated in a submission to the Supreme Court that they "could not have anticipated, and did not intend, such a broad and unprecedented expansion of RFRA". [38] [39] The members further stated that RFRA "extended free-exercise rights only to individuals and to religious, non-profit organizations. No Supreme Court precedent had extended free-exercise rights to secular, for-profit corporations." Following this decision, many states have proposed expanding state RFRA laws to include for-profit corporations, [40] [41] including in Arizona where SB 1062 was passed but was vetoed by Governor Jan Brewer in 2014. [7] [42]

Content

As signed into law, Indiana SB 101 stipulates that "a governmental entity may not substantially burden a person's exercise of religion... [unless it] (1) is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest." The bill defines a "person" to include any individual, organization, or "a partnership, a limited liability company, a corporation, a company, a firm, a society, a joint-stock company, an unincorporated association", or another entity driven by religious belief that can sue and be sued, "regardless of whether the entity is organized and operated for profit or nonprofit purposes." [21] A "person," as defined by the bill, would be permitted to cite violation of this law as a defense in legal proceedings. [43] While the bill explicitly states that no government entity need be involved in the legal proceeding to invoke such a defense, it also states that "the governmental entity has an unconditional right to intervene in order to respond to the person's invocation of this chapter." [44] [45]

Signing

The bill was approved by a vote of 40–10. The Governor signed the approved bill into law three days later, and the law became effective on July 1, 2015. [46]

Lobbyists from the American Family Association and the Indiana Family Institute, who pushed for a ban on same-sex marriage in Indiana, were among the guests invited to the bill's private signing. [47] [48] Micah Clark, executive director of the American Family Association of Indiana, previously stated that the organization would shift its focus from opposing gay marriages to preventing people from being forced to participate if they oppose them on religious grounds. [49] Conservative Christian lobby group Advance America, [50] [51] which warned of "dire consequences" if same-sex marriage was enacted, [52] stated on their website that the law means "Christian bakers, florists and photographers should not be punished for refusing to participate in a homosexual marriage!" [53]

Governor Mike Pence has repeatedly stated the bill does not cause discrimination, stating in a release that the bill is about "respecting and reassuring" citizens that their "religious freedoms are intact." [54]

Differences to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act other State Religious Freedom Restoration Acts

The bill differs in two ways from the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and other State Religious Freedom Restoration Acts. First: Religious protection is provided to more businesses than under the federal statute, [55] [43] because the federal statute and its state counterparts except that of South Carolina have no language granting any for-profit business the right to “the free exercise of religion”. [43] Louisiana and Pennsylvania explicitly exclude for-profit businesses from the protection of their RFRAs. [43] Second: A defense in actions between private parties is explicitly provided for a wide range of suits including discrimination suits. [55] This due the following language in the statute: “A person whose exercise of religion has been substantially burdened, or is likely to be substantially burdened, by a violation of this chapter may assert the violation or impending violation as a claim or defense in a judicial or administrative proceeding, regardless of whether the state or any other governmental entity is a party to the proceeding." [43] (Emphasis added in source) This language isn't in other state Religious Freedom Restoration Acts except that from Texas. [43] According to Law professor Garrett Epps this means "first, that the Indiana statute explicitly recognizes that a for-profit corporation has “free exercise” rights matching those of individuals or churches." [43] It also means secondly that a business’s “free exercise” right is not simply a defense against actions brought by government, but more importantly a defense against a private lawsuit by another person. [43] [21] Taken together these two difference reveal that contrary to the federal RFRA and its state counter parts Indiana Senate Bill 101 was "carefully written to make clear that 1) businesses can use it against 2) civil-rights suits brought by individuals." [43]

Impact and reaction

Indiana passed its bill in a "perfect storm" of media attention, when 1,500 credentialed media were coming to town for the Men's Final Four, said Chris Gahl, vice president of Visit Indy, the city's tourism marketing agency. [56] After the bill's signing, a restaurant owner named Ryan called Indianapolis radio to say that his Christian belief in "Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve" means he should be able to turn away same-sex couples. [57]

Within a week of the bill being signed into law, Memories Pizza, a family-owned business in Walkerton, became the first business to publicly announce that they would refuse to cater a same-sex wedding as a result of the law. [58] [59] The owners stated that "if a gay couple or a couple belonging to another religion came in to the restaurant to eat, they would never deny them service... they just don't agree with gay marriages". [60] The announcement immediately triggered a heated backlash against Memories Pizza; Yelp users took to the platform to condemn the pizzeria and its owners, resulting in a review average of one out of five stars. [61] Following the negativity, the business temporarily closed due to fake orders and threats it received. [62] Due to this, supporters of the restaurant raised over $800,000 for it. [63] [64] Indiana Pastors Alliance Executive Director Rob Johnson Jr. said of the public and media's response to the bill, "This is a false narrative created by the left to say that we are somehow evil people by embracing biblical beliefs." [56] Memories Pizza closed permanently in April 2018. [65]

The Republican mayor of Indianapolis, Greg Ballard, issued a statement against the bill: "I had hoped the State house wouldn't move in this direction on RFRA, but it seems as if the bill was a fait accompli from the beginning. I don't believe this legislation truly represents our state or our capital city. Indianapolis strives to be a welcoming place that attracts businesses, conventions, visitors, and residents. We are a diverse city, and I want everyone who visits and lives in Indy to feel comfortable here. RFRA sends the wrong signal." [66] Ballard called on the legislature to repeal the law, or add explicit protections for sexual orientation and gender identity, and has called for local human rights ordinances to be exempt from the statute. [16] Ballard, along with four other living mayors of Indianapolis Richard Lugar, William H. Hudnut III, Stephen Goldsmith, and Bart Peterson stated that they are "distressed and very concerned" at the fallout of the bill. [67] They were joined in their request for an amendment of the bill to safeguard individual's civil rights by Republican mayor of Evansville, Lloyd Winnecke, who released a statement warning that "this new law sends... a message that contradicts what I know to be true about the citizens of Evansville... We must continue to be a community of hospitality, warmth, and with a desire to treat everyone with respect.". [68]

Mitch Daniels, the former Governor of Indiana and president of Purdue University, stated that the university is opposed to any governmental measure that interferes with their anti-discrimination policy. [69] James Danko, the president of Butler University, called the bill "ill-conceived legislation at best" and commented, "No matter your opinion of the law, it is hard to argue with the fact it has done significant damage to our state." [70] Michael McRobbie, president of Indiana University, called on the government to "reconsider this unnecessary legislation" and stated, "the damage already done to Indiana's reputation is such that all public officials and public institutions in our state need to reaffirm our absolute commitment to the Hoosier values of fair treatment and non-discrimination." [71] Charles L. Venable, CEO of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, stated that the bill will "make it harder for us to attract the best and the brightest to the state." [72]

Nine CEOs from Angie's List, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Anthem Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Cummins, Emmis Communications, Roche Diagnostics, Indiana University Health, and Dow AgroSciences called on the Republican leadership to enact legislation to prevent "discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identity." [73]

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc., stated that he was "deeply disappointed" in the law. [3] [74] PayPal co-founder Max Levchin told CNN that opposing the law is "a basic human decency issue," and stated, "I'm asking my fellow CEOs to look at how they're thinking about their relationship with the state and evaluate it in terms of the legislation that's getting signed into law." [75] Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman stated, "[It] is unconscionable to imagine that Yelp would create, maintain, or expand a significant business presence in any state that encouraged discrimination by businesses against our employees, or consumers at large." [76] He stated, "These laws set a terrible precedent that will likely harm the broader economic health of the states where they have been adopted, the businesses currently operating in those states and, most importantly, the consumers who could be victimized under these laws." [77] Eli Lilly and Company stated that the "outcome on this particular piece of legislation has been disappointing." [78] Warren Buffett stated that if the law "could in any way be prejudicial to gays or lesbians, I'd be opposed to that". [79]

The National Basketball Association (NBA), the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the Indiana Pacers, and the Indiana Fever collectively put out a joint statement that read: "We will continue to ensure that all fans, players, and employees feel welcome at all NBA and WNBA events in Indiana and elsewhere." [80] [81] USA Track & Field stated they are "deeply concerned" by the bill. [78] Mark Emmert, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), issued a statement that expressed concern at how student-athletes, employees, and visitors would be treated and stated they "intend to closely examine the implications of this bill and how it might affect future events as well as our workforce." [82] [83] Bo Ryan, John Calipari, Tom Izzo, and Mike Krzyzewski released a statement though the National Association of Basketball Coaches ahead of a Final Four match in Indiana that "discrimination of any kind should not be tolerated". [84] ESPN's Keith Olbermann called on the National Football League (NFL) and the NCAA to drop Indiana as a venue for major events. [85] Charles Barkley described the bill as "unacceptable", and Jason Collins [86] and Chris Kluwe oppose the bill. Arn Tellem stated that the bill "codifies hatred under the smoke screen of freedom and jeopardizes all that has been recently accomplished" and called for sports organizers to re-evaluate their short- and long-term plans in the state." [87] NASCAR stated "We will not embrace nor participate in exclusion or intolerance." [75]

Gen Con has issued a statement that it will leave the state if the bill is passed. [88] [89]

Eskenazi Health expressed concern that the legislation could lead to some patients being turned away from healthcare workers claiming religious objections, which would "undermine our patients' trust in every member of Eskenazi Health's staff and our health system in general." [90]

On March 31, 2015, the Indianapolis Star published a front-page editorial titled "Fix This Now", which called for an offsetting law prohibiting discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation.

The Islamic Society of North America expressed concern at the potential for the law to create employment discrimination against Muslims. [91] In a media release, ISNA stated that they welcome laws to protect an individual's right to free exercise of religion, but expressed "serious concerns about the extension of those rights to corporations as well as the protections against civil liability for discrimination by protected corporations against individuals." [92] They stated that "If a corporation refused to hire a person because they were a Muslim and their religious beliefs did not permit them to hire Muslims", then lawsuits alleging discrimination could not succeed because the law is a defense to liability." The Sikh Coalition, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and the Disciples of Christ expressed concern about discrimination against religious and sexual minorities. [91]

Possible Republican presidential candidates Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Bobby Jindal, Rick Santorum, Ted Cruz, and Ben Carson have all defended the law. [93] [94]

Bryan Fischer, the former Director of Issues Analysis for the American Family Association and a supporter of the law, likened opponents of the law to Hitler. [95] Micah Clark from the evangelical lobby group American Family Association stated that adding anti-discrimination language "could totally destroy this bill." [96]

Former Republican governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger expressed his opposition to the bill saying, "Distracting, divisive laws like the one Indiana passed aren't just bad for the country, they're also bad for our party." [97]

Jane Henegar, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, stated that she was opposed to the bill. She claimed that SB 101 was too vague and could hurt the image of Indiana by perpetuating the idea that the people of Indiana could and would discriminate gender and sexual identities by masking them with religious beliefs. She makes a plea to the state that they should overturn the bill and listen to the many employers and activists that are against what the bill could do. In her statement, she also disregards the comparison of the RFRA of 1993 and SB 101. [98]

In response to the bill, Indianapolis resident Bill Levin founded The First Church of Cannabis, arguing that the bill now protected one's right to use cannabis for religious reasons. [99] The church planned to test out the bill in full on July 1, 2015 by using cannabis during the service, but legal threats from the city forced the first service to be without cannabis. Several days later, the church filed a lawsuit against the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana, claiming discrimination under the law. [100]

Boycotts

George Takei, actor and LGBTQ rights activist, called the bill "bigotry, cloaked as religious protection" and called for a boycott of the state via his Facebook page and Twitter feed after the bill's signing on March 25, 2015, using the popular hashtag #boycottindiana. [101] In an article on MSNBC, he recalls a similar bill in Arizona that was vetoed by Gov. Jan Brewer and states, "The days are over where some may be denied a seat at the table simply because of who they are – or in this case, whom they love." [102]

Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com, described the bill as an "outrage" and announced that the company would cancel all programs that require customers or employees to travel to Indiana. [103] [104] [105]

Angie's List announced that they would cancel a $40 million expansion of their Indianapolis-based headquarters due to concerns over the law, that would have moved 1000 jobs into the state. [106]

The Disciples of Christ have threatened to move their annual conference out of Indiana over the bill. [107]

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees announced that they would pull their October conference out of Indianapolis. [108]

The band Wilco cancelled a concert at the Old National Centre, and Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally cancelled a tour stop in Indiana. [109]

The mayors of San Francisco, Portland, Washington, D.C., Oakland, and Seattle [110] had all temporarily banned city-funded travel to Indiana.

The governors of Connecticut, Washington, Vermont, [110] and New York State had all temporarily banned state-funded travel to Indiana. [111] [112]

Rescinded boycotts

The governor of Washington (Democrat) rescinded the state-funded travel ban on April 3, 2015. [113] The governors of both New York State and Connecticut (all Democrats) lifted the state-funded travel ban on April 5, 2015. [114] The mayors of New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, and Oakland (all Democrats) lifted their city-funded travel ban on April 7, 2015. [115]

Further legislation

A bill intended to provide protections for LGBT customers, employees, and tenants was proposed by Senate President David C. Long and House Speaker Brian Bosma on April 2, 2015 and was subsequently passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Pence. [116] Indiana Senate Bill 50 of 2015 [117] [118] was this follow up legislation specifying that Indiana Senate Bill 101 does not authorize discrimination and became effective July 1, 2015. [119] This follow legislation amended Indiana Senate Bill 101 in several ways:

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indiana University, the NCAA, and Eli Lilly and Co expressed a positive reaction to the changes made by Indiana Senate Bill 50 of 2015. [120] Greg Ballard endorsed the changes, and suggested on CNN that Christian lobby groups like Advance America and the American Family Association are "on the wrong side of history in this." [121]

Bill Oesterle, the CEO of Angie's List, stated that he wanted the state to implement a stronger, statewide, non-discrimination ordinance, calling the changes "insufficient". [122]

Christian Right lobbyists, who fought for the bill after the legalization of same-sex marriage, [123] said that the changes "destroy" the bill by preventing Christian bakers and florists from refusing service to same-sex weddings. [124]

Similar bills in other states

A study by the Associated Press and GfK of 1,077 Americans in April 2015 found that 56% said that religious liberties were more important for the government to protect than the rights of gays and lesbians, but only 40% thought most business owners should be allowed to refuse service to gays and lesbians on religious grounds. [125] 60 percent of Southerners, but only 45 percent of Northeasterners or Westerners, said wedding-related businesses should be allowed to refuse service to gay couples.

A similar bill in Georgia stalled in Spring 2015, with constituents expressing concern to Georgia lawmakers about the financial impacts of such a bill. [126] [127] [128] Supporters of the bill stated that the bill would be "gutted" by the inclusion of anti-discrimination clause. [129] The convention industry in Georgia said that a $15 million business could be at risk of boycotts. [126]

After the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. decision, the definition of religious beliefs expanded from the beliefs of individual employees to the practices of closely held for-profit corporations. [3] Georgia State Rep. Stacey Evans, D-Smryna, proposed an amendment to change references of "persons" to "individuals," which would have eliminated corporations from the protection of the bill. State Rep. Barry Fleming, R-Harlem, noted that such a move would negate the "closely held corporation" protection granted last year by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Hobby Lobby case. The amendment was rejected. [126]

On March 28, 2015, the Arkansas Senate passed a bill (the "Conscience Protection Act"), modeled after Indiana's RFRA. [130] [131] Hundreds of protesters rallied at Arkansas's Capitol to oppose the bill. [132]

In Spring 2015, Texas SJR 10 and HJR 55 planned to introduce a similar bill that changes the language from "substantially burden" to "burden". [133] The Texas Business Association voted to oppose the bills. [134] The business association argued that the state would lose events like Super Bowl LI which will be held in Houston in 2017. Molly White introduced a bill that would expressly grant private businesses the right to "refuse to provide goods or services to any person based on a sincerely held religious belief or on conscientious grounds." The bill was introduced following oral arguments during Obergefell v. Hodges . [135]

A similar bill in North Carolina also stalled in Spring 2015. Commentators predicted a backlash similar to Indiana's. [136] [137]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Pence</span> Vice President of the United States from 2017 to 2021

Michael Richard Pence is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 48th vice president of the United States from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 50th governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017, and as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religious Freedom Restoration Act</span> 1993 United States federal law

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, Pub. L. No. 103-141, 107 Stat. 1488, codified at 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb through 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb-4, is a 1993 United States federal law that "ensures that interests in religious freedom are protected." The bill was introduced by Congressman Chuck Schumer (D–NY) on March 11, 1993. A companion bill was introduced in the Senate by Ted Kennedy (D-MA) the same day. A unanimous U.S. House and a nearly unanimous U.S. Senate—three senators voted against passage—passed the bill, and President Bill Clinton signed it into law.

Karen Rae Tallian is an American politician and attorney who served as a member of the Indiana Senate for the 4th district from December 2005 through October 2021. She was re-elected in 2006, 2010 and 2014. While serving in the Senate, Tallian, a progressive, has supported medicinal prescription and the decriminalization of marijuana, and has authored bills in its favor. In 2015, she announced her candidacy for governor of Indiana but dropped out that same year, well before the primary season. Tallian was also a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for Indiana Attorney General in 2020, but lost the nomination to Jonathan Weinzapfel.

Same-sex marriage has been legally recognized in Indiana since October 6, 2014. The state had previously restricted marriage to different-sex couples by statute in 1986. Legislation passed in 1997 denied recognition to same-sex relationships established in other jurisdictions. A lawsuit challenging the state's refusal to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples, Baskin v. Bogan, won a favorable ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana on June 25, 2014. Until the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals granted an emergency stay of the district court's ruling on June 27, most Indiana counties issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court's ruling in Baskin on September 4. A ruling in Bowling v. Pence stated that the state must recognize same-sex marriages performed out-of-state and the decision was stayed until the Seventh Circuit ruled on the merits in similar cases. It also stated that the ruling would remain stayed if the circuit court stayed its decision in the related cases.

Michael A. Delph is a former Republican member of the Indiana State Senate representing the 29th district from 2005 to 2018. He is considered to be a "socially conservative Republican," who has courted support from the Tea Party movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Alting</span> Member of the Indiana State Senate

Ronald J. Alting is a member of the Indiana State Senate representing Senate District 22, which contains most of Tippecanoe County. He is a Republican. Alting was first elected to the Indiana State Senate in 1998. Prior to that, Alting served as a member of the Lafayette, Indiana City Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Indiana</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights in the U.S. state of Indiana have been shaped by both state and federal law. These evolved from harsh penalties established early in the state's history to the decriminalization of same-sex activity in 1977 and the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2014. Indiana was subject to an April 2017 federal court ruling that discrimination based on sexual orientation is tantamount to discrimination on account of "sex", as defined by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The ruling establishes sexual orientation as a protected characteristic in the workplace, forbidding unfair discrimination, although Indiana state statutes do not include sexual orientation or gender identity among its categories of discrimination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Kentucky</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Kentucky still face some legal challenges not experienced by other people. Same-sex sexual activity in Kentucky has been legally permitted since 1992, although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy statute for same-sex couples. Same-sex marriage is legal in Kentucky under the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. The decision, which struck down Kentucky's statutory and constitutional bans on same-sex marriages and all other same-sex marriage bans elsewhere in the country, was handed down on June 26, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State Religious Freedom Restoration Acts</span> 1993 state laws in the United States

State Religious Freedom Restoration Acts are state laws based on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), a federal law that was passed almost unanimously by the U.S. Congress in 1993 and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. The laws mandate that religious liberty of individuals can only be limited by the "least restrictive means of furthering a compelling government interest". Originally, the federal law was intended to apply to federal, state, and local governments. In 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court in City of Boerne v. Flores held that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act only applies to the federal government but not states and other local municipalities within them. As a result, 21 states have passed their own RFRAs that apply to their individual state and local governments.

Kansas House Bill 2453, also known as the Religious Freedom Act, is a piece of legislation proposed in the state of Kansas that would allow people to refuse to provide services in any way related to any relationship under the name "marriage, domestic partnership, civil union or similar arrangement" if their objection to doing so is based on their religious beliefs. Representative Charles Macheers (R-Shawnee) introduced the legislation on January 16, 2014. It passed in the House but was not taken up by the Kansas Senate.

Arizona SB 1062 was an Arizona bill to amend an existing law to give any individual or legal entity an exemption from any state law if it substantially burdened their exercise of religion, including Arizona law requiring public accommodation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Holcomb</span> Governor of Indiana since 2017

Eric Joseph Holcomb is an American politician who has served since 2017 as the 51st governor of Indiana. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 51st lieutenant governor of Indiana from 2016 to 2017 under Governor Mike Pence, who left the governorship in 2017 to become the vice president of the United States. Holcomb was nominated to fill the remainder of Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann's term after she resigned on March 2, 2016, to become president of Ivy Tech Community College. He won the 2016 election for governor of Indiana over Democratic nominee John R. Gregg. Holcomb was reelected in 2020 over Democratic nominee Woody Myers and Libertarian nominee Donald Rainwater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fix This Now</span> 2015 newspaper headline

"Fix This Now" was the front page headline for The Indianapolis Star in March 31st, 2015, referencing the newly passed "Religious Freedom" law that many said could allow businesses to deny serving LGBT couples on the basis of religious obligations.

Arkansas HB 1228, also known as the Conscience Protection Act and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, is a law in the state of Arkansas that aims to increase "judicial scrutiny" in cases involving religious beliefs. Opponents of the law say that it will allow for lawful discrimination of LGBT people. The law was passed by the Arkansas Senate on March 31, 2015. The next day, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced he would not sign the bill as written, instructing the legislature to make changes to its language. The final version was passed and signed into law as Act 975.

Thomas Washburne is a Republican member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing the 64th District since 2013. In 2017, Washburne announced that he would not be running for reelection to the State House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Church of Cannabis</span> Cannabis-based church in Indiana

First Church of Cannabis is a cannabis-based church founded in 2015 and registered in the U.S. state of Indiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis in Indiana</span>

Cannabis in Indiana is illegal for recreational use, with the exception of limited medical usage. Possession of any amount is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in prison and a fine of up to $1000.

The First Amendment Defense Act was a bill introduced into the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate on June 17, 2015. The Senate sponsor of the bill was Mike Lee (R-Utah), and the House sponsor was Raúl Labrador (R-Idaho). The bill aimed to prevent the federal government from taking action against a person on the basis that such person believes or acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that: (1) marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman, or (2) sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.

The Mississippi Religious Freedom Restoration Act is a 2014 act that states that "government should not substantially burden religious exercise without compelling justification. The act protects religious people from legal repercussions if they verbally condemn the lifestyle or actions of LGBTQ persons. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of an individual to include businesses, and so if a business owner thinks their religious beliefs would be violated by delivering service to an LGBT person, the Act allows them to deny them service, a move that some commentators have called "anti-gay segregation".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Open for Service</span> Campaign in Indianapolis, Indiana

Open for Service is a local campaign launched by members of Indiana's business community in response to Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) in 2015. The law, which was perceived as anti-LGBT by critics, was widely opposed by many of Indiana's largest companies, and also led to a boycott of Indiana by activists nationally. The Open for Service campaign created a recognizable blue sticker with the text "This Business Serves Everyone," which were ubiquitously displayed in storefront windows in Indianapolis and elsewhere—in order to allow businesses to self-identify as inclusive, and would not refuse service to customers on the basis of sexual orientation.

References

  1. Indiana General Assembly. "Indiana General Assembly, 2015 Session". Iga.in.gov. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  2. Guerra, Kristine (March 31, 2015). "How Indiana's RFRA differs from federal version". Indy Star.
  3. 1 2 3 Rooney, Ben; Smith, Aaron (March 27, 2015). "Apple's Tim Cook 'deeply disappointed' in Indiana's anti-gay law". CNN Money.
  4. "Indiana lawmakers approve 'religious freedom' bill". JURIST Paper Chase. March 26, 2015.
  5. "Indiana Gov. Pence defends religious objections law: 'This bill is not about discrimination'". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  6. Shoichet, Catherine E. (February 27, 2015). "Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoes controversial anti-gay bill, SB 1062". CNN.
  7. 1 2 "Arizona gov. vetoes controversial 'religious freedom' bill". Aljazeera. February 26, 2015.
  8. (March 26, 2015) – "NCAA 'concerned' over Indiana law that allows biz to reject gays " CNN. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  9. Davies, Tom (March 27, 2015). "Indiana officials look to stem religious objections fallout". Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 28, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  10. 1 2 "Indiana Religious Freedom Law: What You Need to Know". NBC News. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  11. "Religious freedom or discrimination? Tensions rise over 'Right of Conscience Act'". KFOR. February 21, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  12. "Thousands march in Indiana to protest law seen targeting gays". Reuters. March 29, 2015. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015.
  13. "Hundreds rally against Indiana law, say it's discriminatory". Associated Press. March 28, 2015.
  14. "Advocates promote Hoosier hospitality amid RFRA criticism". WRTV Indianapolis. March 27, 2015. Archived from the original on March 31, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  15. Parvini, Sarah (March 28, 2015). "In conservative Indiana, bemusement amid boycott threats over religious freedom law". Los Angeles Times.
  16. 1 2 "Ballard to legislature: Repeal law, protect LGBT from discrimination". Indy Star. March 30, 2015.
  17. "ABC News "This Week with George Stephanopoulos"". ABC News . March 29, 2015.
  18. "Indiana 'Not Going to Change' Anti-LGBT Law, Gov. Mike Pence Says". KTLA 5. March 29, 2015.
  19. "Indiana AG reacts to same-sex marriage ruling". schurz-wsbt-tv. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.
  20. Zoeller, Greg (July 2, 2014). "Greg Zoeller: State had obligation to appeal gay marriage ruling". The Indianapolis Star . Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Katie Sanders (March 29, 2015). "Did Barack Obama vote for Religious Freedom Restoration Act with 'very same' wording as Indiana's?". Politifact. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020.
  22. "Alabama high court orders halt to same-sex marriage licenses". Reuters. March 4, 2015.
  23. "Kansas governor rescinds executive order protecting LGBT employees". Jurist Paper Chase. February 11, 2015.
  24. "Arkansas bill prohibiting local anti-discrimination ordinances becomes law". Jurist Paper Chase. February 24, 2015.
  25. Dolan, Eric (March 30, 2015). "WATCH: Indiana GOP leader admits 'No Gays Allowed' sign would be legal in most of the state". The Raw Story.
  26. Kelly, Niki. "Leaders intend to clarify bill – Say discrimination not intent". The Journal Gazette.
  27. "The Pence Agenda for the 107th Congress: A Guide to Renewing the American Dream". Archived from the original on May 19, 2001.
  28. Campbell, Colin (March 31, 2015). "Indiana's governor seems to have a long history of opposing gay rights". Business Insider.
  29. "Indiana Gov. Pence squishy on protecting against LGBT discrimination because he has long opposed it". Colorado Independent. March 31, 2015.
  30. Goddard, Taegan (March 31, 2015). "Mike Pence, Then and Now". Political Wire.
  31. Ring, Trudy (April 1, 2015). "Mike Pence 'Abhors' Discrimination? His Record Shows Otherwise". The Advocate.
  32. "Obama signs hate-crimes law rooted in crimes of 1998". USA Today. October 28, 2009.
  33. Scherr, Sonia (July 17, 2009). "Religious Right Promotes Falsehoods in Last-Ditch Attempt to Stall Federal Hate Crimes Bill". Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on March 2, 2015.
  34. "STATE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RESTORATION ACTS". National Conference of State Legislatures. March 30, 2015.
  35. "2015 STATE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RESTORATION LEGISLATION". National Conference of State Legislatures. March 30, 2015.
  36. Guerra, Kristine (April 2, 2015). "A LOOK AT 'RELIGIOUS FREEDOM' LAWS BY STATE". Indy Star.
  37. "1A. What Is the Religious Freedom Restoration Act?". The Volokh Conspiracy. December 2, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  38. "Re: Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (PDF). Columbia School of law. February 27, 2015.
  39. "Hobby Lobby Wages War on Birth Control". March 19, 2014.
  40. "RFRA Madness: What's Next for Anti-Democratic 'Religious Exemptions'". The Daily Beast. November 16, 2014.
  41. McCoy, Terrence (March 27, 2015). "How Hobby Lobby paved the way for Indiana's 'religious freedom' bill". Washington Post.
  42. Shoichet, Catherine E. (February 27, 2015). "Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoes controversial bill, SB 1062". CNN.
  43. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Garrett Epps (March 30, 2015). "Politics: What Makes Indiana's Religious-Freedom Law Different?". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  44. "Senate Enrolled Act No. 101 in the First Regular Session of 119th Indiana General Assembly (2015). Here: Section 9" (PDF). Indiana House Republicans. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 13, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  45. "2019 Indiana Code Title 34. Civil Law and Procedure Article 13. Causes of Action: Claims Against the Government Chapter 9. Religious Freedom Restoration 34-13-9-9. Violations". Justia US Law. Archived from the original on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  46. "Indiana Gov. Pence defends religious objections law: 'This bill is not about discrimination'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  47. "Indiana governor was surrounded by anti-gay activists when he signed religious freedom bill". Gay Star News. March 30, 2015.
  48. Cook, Tony (March 27, 2015). "Gov. Mike Pence signs 'religious freedom' bill in private". Indy Star.
  49. Evans, Tim (March 28, 2015). "Why were 'religious freedom' supporters mostly silent?". Indy Star.
  50. "Toddler's death highlights inconsistencies in Indiana day care laws". 13 WTHR. Archived from the original on February 21, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015. Eric Miller and his conservative Christian lobby group Advance America
  51. Conger, Kimberly H. (November 10, 2009). The Christian Right in Republican State Politics. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 76. ISBN   978-0-230-10174-6.
  52. "US Christian group predicts 'dangers' of legalising same-sex marriage". Gay Star News. December 14, 2013.
  53. "VICTORY AT THE STATE HOUSE!". Advance America. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015.
    As quoted by "ABC News "This Week with George Stephanopoulos"". ABC News . March 29, 2015.
  54. "Governor Pence Statement Regarding Passage of SB 101, Religious Freedom – 3/23/2015". IN.GOV. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  55. 1 2 Garrett Epps (April 2, 2015). "Politics: The Next Steps in the Battle Over Religious-Freedom Laws". The Atlantic. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  56. 1 2 Trubey, J. Scott (April 2, 2016). "Indiana still healing from scars of RFRA". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Politically Georgia.
  57. "Indiana Restaurant Owner Admits to Discriminating Against Gays on Radio". Mediaite. March 30, 2015.
  58. Wong, Curtis M. (April 1, 2015). "Indiana's Memories Pizza Reportedly Becomes First Business To Vow To Reject Gay Couples". Huffington Post . Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  59. Kim, Susanna (April 1, 2015). "Indiana Pizza Restaurant Says It Wouldn't Cater a Gay Wedding, Supports Religious Freedom Law". ABC News . Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  60. Marino, Alyssa (March 31, 2015). "RFRA: Michiana business wouldn't cater a gay wedding". ABC 57 News. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  61. Breitman, Kendall (April 1, 2015). "Yelp reviewers rip Indiana pizza shop that endorsed 'religious freedom' law". Politico . Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  62. Buckley, Madeline (April 3, 2015). "Threat tied to RFRA prompt Indiana pizzeria to close its doors". Indy Star. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
    Dewey, Caitlin (April 2, 2015). "A call for sanity in the matter of Memories Pizza vs. the Internet". Washington Post. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  63. Richardson, Valerie (April 2, 2015). "Indiana pizzeria owners get $400,000 in crowdfund support, say 'we're not leaving'". Washington Times. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
    Galarza, Daniela (April 3, 2015). "Supporters Raise Over $500K for Indiana Pizza Parlor That Discriminated Against Gays [Updated]". Eater. Vox Media, Inc. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
    Hanlon, John; Gallagher, Shaun; Kusz, Brandon; Hickey, Megan (April 3, 2015). "UPDATE: GoFundMe account raises more than $480,000 for Walkerton Restaurant". WNDU. South Bend, Indiana. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  64. "Fund Raises $840,000 for Memories Pizza After Attacks Over Gay Marriage Views". NBC News. April 4, 2015.
  65. "Indiana pizzeria that backed RFRA and declined to cater same-sex weddings closes for good". IndyStar. April 23, 2018.
  66. "Mayor Greg Ballard speaks out against religious freedom bill". WTHR. March 25, 2015. Archived from the original on March 27, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  67. "Fallout from RFRA very concerning to Indianapolis mayors". Indy Star. March 31, 2015.
  68. "Lloyd Winnecke on Facebook". Facebook . Archived from the original on April 30, 2022.[ user-generated source ]
  69. "Butler, Purdue and other Indiana university presidents issue statements on religious freedom bill". CBS 4. March 30, 2015.
  70. "Butler President speaks out against 'religious freedom' bill". Indy Star. March 29, 2015.
  71. "IU voices concerns over state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, reaffirms commitment to equality". Indiana University. March 29, 2015. Archived from the original on April 1, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  72. "'Religious freedom' law a lightning rod". Indy Star. March 29, 2015.
  73. Joseph R. Swedish, Tom Linebarger, John C. Lechleiter were among the CEOs.
    "Indiana's corporate leaders call for action on RFRA". WTHR. March 31, 2015. Archived from the original on March 31, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  74. Tamborello, Joe; Carter, Allison L. (March 28, 2015). "How big names react to 'religious freedom' signing". Indystar.com. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  75. 1 2 "NASCAR joins backlash over Indiana religious freedom law". CNN Money. March 31, 2015.
  76. "Yelp CEO bashes Indiana's new 'anti-gay' law". Business Insider. March 28, 2015.
  77. Stoppelman, Jeremy. "An Open Letter to States Considering Imposing Discrimination Laws". Yelp Blog. Archived from the original on March 30, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  78. 1 2 "Lilly, USA Track & Field Respond to RFRA". Inside Indiana Business. March 27, 2015.
  79. "Pence pledges to 'fix' Indiana law". KEYT. March 13, 2015. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  80. "League urges 'inclusion' as Indiana law sparks gay rights concern". AFP. March 28, 2015.
  81. "Statement from NBA, WNBA, Pacers and Fever" (Press release). National Basketball Association. March 28, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  82. "Statement on Indiana religious freedom bill" (Press release). National Collegiate Athletic Association. March 26, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  83. "NCAA, companies, celebrities raise concerns after Gov. Pence signs religious freedom bill". AOL News. March 28, 2015.
  84. "Final Four coaches release joint statement on controversial Indiana law". Yahoo Sports. April 1, 2015.
  85. Hamilton, Megan (March 28, 2015). "Anti-gay law — Keith Olbermann asks NFL, NCAA to boycott Indiana". Digital Journal.
  86. "Sports analyst, first openly gay pro athlete asks if he'll be discriminated against during Final Four". Indy Sports Central. March 23, 2015.
  87. "Sports Entities Begin to Digest Implications of Indiana Law". New York Times. March 27, 2015.
  88. "Gen Con threatens the governor it will leave the state over Indiana's controversial SB 101". Polygon. March 24, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  89. Cox, Carolyn (March 27, 2015). "Gen Con Responds to Indiana Passing "Religious Freedom" Bill, Moving Ahead With Discussions to Leave the State". The Mary Sue. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  90. Wang, Stephanie (March 9, 2015). "Could hospitals turn away patients for religious reasons?".
  91. 1 2 "These Religious Groups Want Nothing To Do With Indiana's New Law". Huffington Post. April 4, 2015.
  92. "ISNA's Statement on Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act". Islamic Society of North America. April 1, 2015. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  93. "Indiana Religious-Freedom Law Emerges as 2016 Republican Litmus Test". Time . March 30, 2015.
  94. Bradner, Eric (March 30, 2015). "Republican 2016 hopefuls back Indiana's 'religious freedom' law". CNN . Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  95. "Bryan Fischer Asserts That Having To Serve All Customers Is Like Being Under Hitler's Rule". Inquisitr. March 28, 2015.
  96. Tashman, Brian (March 30, 2015). "Indiana Activist: Don't Clarify That 'Religious Freedom' Law Won't Allow Discrimination". Right Wing Watch.
  97. "Arnold Schwarzenegger 'Furious' Over GOP Support For Indiana Religious Freedom Law". HuffPost . April 3, 2015.
  98. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 5, 2015. Retrieved April 30, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  99. "RFRA impact on religion and the unintended consequences". April 2, 2015.
  100. "First Church of Cannabis founder sues Indiana and Marion County over marijuana laws". July 9, 2015.
  101. Politi, Daniel (March 29, 2015). "Indiana Governor Dodges Questions on Whether New Law Allows Anti-Gay Discrimination". Slate.
  102. Takei, George. "George Takei: Boycott Indiana". MSNBC. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  103. Brekke, Dan (March 26, 2015). "Salesforce's Benioff Among Those Blasting Indiana 'Religious Freedom' Law". KQED.
  104. Machkovech, Sam (May 17, 2012). "Salesforce abandons all future Indiana plans following passage of SB 101". Ars Technica. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  105. Zillman, Claire (March 26, 2015). "Salesforce boycotts Indiana over fear of LGBT discrimination". Fortune . Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  106. Evans, Tim (March 28, 2015). "Angie's List canceling Eastside expansion over RFRA". Newspaper. The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  107. Markoe, Lauren (March 28, 2015). "Disciples Of Christ Church Threatens A Boycott Over New Indiana Bill That Allows LGBT Discrimination". The Huffington Post. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  108. "Women's group becomes first to pull conference from Indy". Indy Star. March 30, 2015.
  109. "From conventions to concerts, cancellations over RFRA begin". WTHR. March 31, 2015. Archived from the original on April 1, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  110. 1 2 "Vermont governor bans state funded travel to Indiana".
  111. "Indiana governor says he wants to 'fix' religion law". BBC News . March 31, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  112. "Connecticut to Ban State-Funded Travel to Indiana Over Controversial Law". Time . March 30, 2015.
  113. "Washington governor Jay Inslee rescinds Indiana travel ban". LGBTQ Nation. Associated Press. April 3, 2015. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  114. "New York, Connecticut governors lift bans on state-funded travel to Indiana". LGBTQ Nation. April 5, 2015. Archived from the original on December 15, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  115. "Four West Coast mayors lift bans on city-funded travel to Indiana". LGBTQ Nation. Associated Press. April 7, 2015. Archived from the original on December 15, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  116. Tony Cook, Tom LoBianco, and Brian Eason (April 2, 2015). "Indiana business leaders embrace RFRA fix". Indy Star. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  117. 119th General Assembly of Indiana (2015) (April 2, 2015). "Senate Enrolled Act No. 50 in the First Regular Session 119th General Assembly (2015). Legislation Conference Report Adopted (Senate) on April 2, 2015" (PDF). Vote Smart: The Voter's Self Defense System. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  118. "Conference Committee Report Digest Report For ESB50". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  119. 1 2 3 4 "SB 50 - Specifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Does Not Authorize Discrimination - Indiana Key Vote". Vote Smart: The Voter's Self Defense System. Archived from the original on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  120. "Reactions pour in after proposed changes to RFRA". Indy Star. April 2, 2015.
  121. "Ballard on CNN: Fix RFRA 'by the end of the day'". Indy Star. April 2, 2015.
  122. "Angie's List rejects 'religious freedom' law fix, calls it 'insufficient'". Indy Star. April 2, 2015.
  123. Wand, Stephanie (April 2, 2015). "RFRA's roots tied to gay marriage fight". Indy Star.
  124. "Christian lobbyist: RFRA 'fix' to destroy bill". Indy Star. April 2, 2015.
  125. "AP-GfK Poll: Nuanced views on gay rights, religious liberty". Associated Press News. April 29, 2015.
  126. 1 2 3 "'Religious liberty' bill takes a sharp rightward turn, convention industry says $15 million in business at risk". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (blog). March 26, 2015.
  127. "Georgia House Committee Tables 'Religious Liberty' Bill". 90.1 FM WABE. March 26, 2015.
  128. "LGBT rights amendment proves to be 'poison pill' for Georgia's 'religious freedom' bill". Raw Story. March 27, 2015.
  129. "'Religious liberty' effort is only mostly dead. Keep your eye on HB 59". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (blog). March 27, 2015.
  130. Herskovitz, Jon (March 27, 2015). "Arkansas Senate Passes Religion Bill Called Anti-Gay". The Huffington Post . Reuters . Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  131. Chokshi, Niraj (March 26, 2015). "Human Rights Campaign hopes to fight Arkansas' religious freedom bill by scaring away Silicon Valley". The Washington Post . Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  132. "Fight over religious objection proposals shifts to Arkansas". March 31, 2015.
  133. Michaelson, Jay (March 29, 2015). "The Texas-Sized Anti-Gay Backlash". The Daily Beast.
  134. Cervantes, Bobby (March 30, 2015). "Texas 'religious freedom' measures face uncertain future". Houston Chronicle.
  135. "Texas religious objection bill follows Supreme Court hearing". Associated Press. April 30, 2015.
  136. "Indiana to clarify 'religious freedom' law, Georgia, N.C. bills stall". Reuters. March 30, 2015.
  137. "NC 'religious freedom' legislation courts Indiana-type controversy". WRAL. March 30, 2015.