Arkansas governor urges changes to religious objection bill

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday called for changes to a religious-objection measure that provoked a backlash from businesses and gay-rights groups, saying it was not intended to sanction discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The Republican governor said he wants the Legislature to either recall the bill from his desk or pass a follow-up measure that would make the proposal more closely mirror a 1993 federal religious-freedom law.

“What is important from an Arkansas standpoint is one, we get the right balance. And secondly, we make sure that we communicate we’re not going to be a state that fails to recognize the diversity of our workplace, our economy and our future,” Hutchinson said at a news conference at the state Capitol.

Hutchinson initially supported the bill, which prohibits state and local government from infringing upon someone’s religious beliefs without a compelling interest. On Tuesday, the governor’s office said he planned to sign it into law.

His change in thinking comes after Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed a similar measure into law last week. This week, Pence said he wants follow-up legislation to address concerns that the law could allow businesses to discriminate based on sexual orientation.

Similar proposals have been introduced in more than a dozen states, patterned after the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. Nineteen other states have similar laws on the books.

Hutchinson did not specifically call for changes that would prohibit the law from being used to deny services, but said he did not believe the bill was intended to do so.

“This law that is under consideration does not extend discrimination,” Hutchinson said.

The governor also said he was looking at signing an executive order preventing workplace discrimination by state agencies.

Opponents of the law said they were waiting to see what the proposed changes would do, but were encouraged by Hutchinson’s comments.

“What’s clear is the governor has been listening,” said Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights group. “The governor listened to business leaders in this state and around the country, and the governor listened to tens of thousands of Arkansans. …. Now what we have to do is keep the pressure on.”

Conservative groups that had been pushing for the measure questioned the need for any changes.

“I’m very puzzled at this point to see why the bill would need to be amended at this late date, considering everybody in the chamber has had a chance to see it,” said Jerry Cox, head of the Arkansas Family Council. “I think it’s been thoroughly vetted and it’s a good law.”

The lawmakers behind the proposal said they were open to discussions, but stopped short of saying they would support any changes.

“We’re going to go to work on it,” Republican Rep. Bob Ballinger of Hindsville said.

Legislators face a short window to address Hutchinson’s concerns. The governor has five days to take action on the bill before it becomes law without his signature, and lawmakers had hoped to wrap up this year’s session by Thursday.

Removing the bill from Hutchinson’s desk will require a simple majority in the 100-member House, but reversing the votes that gave the measure final approval needs the support of at least 67 members. Lawmakers could also use an abandoned bill that had been intended to expand the state’s anti-discrimination laws to amend the religious-objections measure.

Hutchinson has faced pressure from the state’s top employers, including retail giant Wal-Mart, which a day earlier asked the governor to veto the bill. Little Rock’s mayor, the city’s Chamber of Commerce and Arkansas-based data services company Acxiom all urged the governor to reject the measure in recent days.

Hutchinson noted how divisive the issue has become, saying his son Seth was among those who signed a petition asking him to veto the bill.

“This is a bill that in ordinary times would not be controversial,” he said. “But these are not ordinary times.”