Indiana lawmakers looking to clarify religious-freedom law that could discriminate against gays

Similar bills in other states have stalled after backlash against Indiana’s law

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Politicians in Indiana have said they will work on clarifying the language in a religious-freedom law that has caused quite a backlash because many say the law can be used to discriminate against gays.

The leader of the state’s Democratic senators, Scott Pelath, called the law an embarrassment and called for an immediate repeal of the controversial law, the Associated Press reported.

The purpose of the bill is to forbid the state from forcing people to provide services that violate their religious beliefs. Similar laws recently have been floated in other US states, as gay marriage increasingly has been legalised across the country.

Supporters say that the law keeps the government out of the religious beliefs of people and business owners. The opposition sees it differently.

“The legislation is so broadly written that there may be unforeseen and harmful consequences to our state,” wrote the Indiana branch of the American Civil Liberties Union. “Moreover, the bills create a widespread and negative perception of Indiana by appearing to invite the use of religion to discriminate, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.”

The ALCU said that in other states that have similar legislations it has seen pharmacists refuse to sell contraception and a school guidance counsellor refuse to help gay students, both because of religious beliefs.

On Monday, two top lawmakers said they would look to clarify the language in the law to ensure that it does not promote discrimination.

“To the extent that we need to clarify that, by adding something to the law to make that clear that's not the intent, we are more than willing to do it, and we plan to do that,” said David Long, president pro-tem of the state Senate.

The law, which Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed last week, has drawn heavy criticism. Some companies have threatened to leave the state, and the cities of San Francisco and Seattle, along with the state of Connecticut, have banned all official travel to Indiana.

Mr Pence has defended the freedoms granted in the bill, but did say he would support anti-discrimination language to be inserted into the law.

The backlash against Indiana’s bill has prompted governments in two other states to delay similar bills. A bill in Georgia that already has been passed by the state Senate was put on hold after a representative in the state House added discriminatory language to the bill.

North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory said on Monday that he would not sign a religious-freedom bill that has been introduced in the state as it is written because it could allow state officials to refuse to perform gay marriages.

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