Today, Indiana Governor Mike Pence tried to limit the economic damage and public humiliation he brought to Indiana by signing a widely-denounced, discriminatory anti-LGBT law last Thursday, the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act (RFRA). While the national backlash against the harmful measure has been swift and brutal, Pence today asked for legislation to be sent to his desk this week that makes clear that the law cannot be used to deny services to anyone. However, Pence did not offer specifics to his request and did not offer support for LGBT non-discrimination protections.
Pence said he wants to see on his desk “legislation this week that makes it clear that this law does not give the right to deny services to anyone.” He continued, “I’m determined to address this this week and to move forward as a state.”
In response to Governor Pence’s remarks at the press conference, Chad Griffin, President of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, released the following statement:
“Governor Pence keeps saying that equal protections for all Hoosiers are not on his agenda, but fair-minded people across his state are demanding that those protections get on his agenda, immediately.”
