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| Arkansas revises religious freedom bill in attempt to prevent anti-LGBT discrimination | Arkansas revises religious freedom bill in attempt to prevent anti-LGBT discrimination |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A modified “religious freedom” bill was signed into law in Arkansas on Thursday as the state’s governor sought to placate critics who argue that politicians are seeking to discriminate against gay and lesbian people. | A modified “religious freedom” bill was signed into law in Arkansas on Thursday as the state’s governor sought to placate critics who argue that politicians are seeking to discriminate against gay and lesbian people. |
| Flanked by members of the state legislature, Asa Hutchinson signed the bill into law at a press conference less than an hour after it passed the legislature and a day after he asked them to revise the bill in the hope of making it less inflammatory. The Arkansas revision took place as Indiana passed revisions to its own similar bill, as both states have dealt with a backlash this week to “religious freedom” bills critics call anti-gay. | Flanked by members of the state legislature, Asa Hutchinson signed the bill into law at a press conference less than an hour after it passed the legislature and a day after he asked them to revise the bill in the hope of making it less inflammatory. The Arkansas revision took place as Indiana passed revisions to its own similar bill, as both states have dealt with a backlash this week to “religious freedom” bills critics call anti-gay. |
| “This mirrors the federal law, that was the objective,” he said. He added that he believes the bill also provides a framework for resolving disputes in court and reflects the “diversity of our culture and our workforce”. | “This mirrors the federal law, that was the objective,” he said. He added that he believes the bill also provides a framework for resolving disputes in court and reflects the “diversity of our culture and our workforce”. |
| Asked if he understood concerns that the law, which is directed only at government actions, offers no explicit protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, he said that “the debate goes on”. | Asked if he understood concerns that the law, which is directed only at government actions, offers no explicit protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, he said that “the debate goes on”. |
| Senate Bill 975 went through the committee stage on Thursday morning and passed the House of Representatives in a 76-17 vote. Just before the vote, representative Camille Bennett, wearing a necklace with a giant cross, addressed the chamber and said she was delighted that the bill would “protect our religious freedoms, just before Easter”. | Senate Bill 975 went through the committee stage on Thursday morning and passed the House of Representatives in a 76-17 vote. Just before the vote, representative Camille Bennett, wearing a necklace with a giant cross, addressed the chamber and said she was delighted that the bill would “protect our religious freedoms, just before Easter”. |
| Hutchinson, a Republican, had insisted that the bill in its earlier form did not have discriminatory intent. But businesses including Walmart, which is headquartered in Arkansas, voiced opposition, as did Mark Stodola, Little Rock’s mayor, and even Hutchinson’s son, Seth. | Hutchinson, a Republican, had insisted that the bill in its earlier form did not have discriminatory intent. But businesses including Walmart, which is headquartered in Arkansas, voiced opposition, as did Mark Stodola, Little Rock’s mayor, and even Hutchinson’s son, Seth. |
| A similar controversy erupted in Indiana last week when critics said legislation signed into law by Governor Mike Pence would legally enable businesses to refuse to serve people based on their sexual orientation. | A similar controversy erupted in Indiana last week when critics said legislation signed into law by Governor Mike Pence would legally enable businesses to refuse to serve people based on their sexual orientation. |
| Anti-discrimination protesters lined up to enter the house chamber in Little Rock for the vote, and more than a hundred rallied outside the statehouse earlier in the day. | Anti-discrimination protesters lined up to enter the house chamber in Little Rock for the vote, and more than a hundred rallied outside the statehouse earlier in the day. |
| “It’s been incredible to see the energy and desire people have,” said Kendra Johnson, of the Human Rights Campaign. “I’m surprised by the numbers and the resilience … There’s lots of LGBT folks here, there are a lot of people who are not and just don’t agree with discrimination.” | “It’s been incredible to see the energy and desire people have,” said Kendra Johnson, of the Human Rights Campaign. “I’m surprised by the numbers and the resilience … There’s lots of LGBT folks here, there are a lot of people who are not and just don’t agree with discrimination.” |
| After the bill was signed Johnson said “nothing much has changed. We’re still left facing discrimination in our day to day lives ... They asked us to choose between the lesser of two evils. We prefer no evil. The ideal scenario would have been a veto.” | |
| Ian Park, a gay 27-year-old teacher from Little Rock, said he had been verbally abused because of his sexuality at university in Arkansas nine years ago. He said the law is “a transparent attempt at discrimination. We see through it regardless of how they try to fix it.” | Ian Park, a gay 27-year-old teacher from Little Rock, said he had been verbally abused because of his sexuality at university in Arkansas nine years ago. He said the law is “a transparent attempt at discrimination. We see through it regardless of how they try to fix it.” |
| Though one man walked around with a sign saying “Keep rightwing bigotry in church where it belongs,” several members of the clergy were at the protest rally, which also featured a pause for prayer. | Though one man walked around with a sign saying “Keep rightwing bigotry in church where it belongs,” several members of the clergy were at the protest rally, which also featured a pause for prayer. |
| “I was pleasantly surprised by Governor Hutchinson’s statement yesterday,” said Brooks Cato, a priest at Christ Episcopal Church in Little Rock. As it stood, the bill was “a gross misuse of religion and an extreme disservice to some of the most extraordinary people in our community”. | “I was pleasantly surprised by Governor Hutchinson’s statement yesterday,” said Brooks Cato, a priest at Christ Episcopal Church in Little Rock. As it stood, the bill was “a gross misuse of religion and an extreme disservice to some of the most extraordinary people in our community”. |
| He washed volunteers’ feet on the steps of the capitol building in an allusion to the gospel of John, in which Jesus washes the disciples in what Cato said was an act of love “with no caveat”. | He washed volunteers’ feet on the steps of the capitol building in an allusion to the gospel of John, in which Jesus washes the disciples in what Cato said was an act of love “with no caveat”. |
| He said the bill was rooted in prejudice. “Frankly, if [religious freedom] were truly the heart of it I don’t think we’d need anything different from what the federal law puts forward,” he said. “We have a lot of gay worshippers. Seeing this legislation come out of a state I know and love has been painful.” | He said the bill was rooted in prejudice. “Frankly, if [religious freedom] were truly the heart of it I don’t think we’d need anything different from what the federal law puts forward,” he said. “We have a lot of gay worshippers. Seeing this legislation come out of a state I know and love has been painful.” |
| Standing next to him, Linda Whitworth-Reed, a Presbyterian reverend in Little Rock, agreed. “The way I read scripture … I’m not sure what their values are and why they want to exclude, if we’re called to love one another and even love an enemy,” she said. “If I’m a heretic then I’m proud because the root of the word ‘heretic’ is ‘choice’. I choose to love and be inclusive.” | Standing next to him, Linda Whitworth-Reed, a Presbyterian reverend in Little Rock, agreed. “The way I read scripture … I’m not sure what their values are and why they want to exclude, if we’re called to love one another and even love an enemy,” she said. “If I’m a heretic then I’m proud because the root of the word ‘heretic’ is ‘choice’. I choose to love and be inclusive.” |