Indiana amends religious freedom bill to put an end to discrimination

[brooklynite]

Source: The Guardian

Indiana’s legislature has passed a bill that would change the state’s controversial religious freedom law to clarify that it does not authorize businesses to discriminate against people.

The Republican proposal will now be sent for approval to governor Mike Pence, who has been subject to intense criticism since signing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) into law last week. Lawmakers also worked with business leaders to craft the language, which was presented to the legislature on Thursday morning.

“We can unequivocally say that RFRA cannot be used to discriminate against anyone,” said house speaker Brian Bosma, a Republican.

Under the existing law, the state cannot create legislation that infringes on a person’s religious beliefs – with the definition of person extended to include businesses, associations and other organizations. Because the state does not consider the LGBT community a protected class, the bill was interpreted as a way for businesses and organizations to legally discriminate.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/apr/02/indiana-republicans-religious-freedom

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So, taking all the fun out of it.....

[Omaha Steve]

1. REPEAL the entire thing

Keep up the pressure!

[Iliyah]

4. REPEAL the gawd dang bill!

This bill discriminate against women as well.

[davidpdx]

14. Exactly

I think this was all a bluff to see how far they could take it. They were called on their bluff and need to repeal it.

[joshdawg]

15. i'm in for repeal.

The "fix" is not a real fix.

[handmade34]

2. no reason

for any bill now... REPEAL

[Zorra]

11. The bill does nothing, but there is a simple reason for it. It makes the RW fundies,

who suffer from a psychotic persecution complex, believe that they are now free to practice their religion without being persecuted for it.

They always were completely free to practice their religion anyway, but now at lwast they can all get a warm fuzzy from their silly waste of everyone's time, and from the millions of dollars they senselessly cost the state of Indiana.

The bill, without the "now we can hate on teh gays" section, apparently does nothing at all.

[hibbing]

3. Well...hmm

Wasn't discrimination against gays the whole point of the original legislation to begin with? What will those poor persecuted Christians do now?

Peace

[workinclasszero]

18. Of course it was and everybody(except fox"news") knows it too

Whatever is left of the Freedom to Discriminate against Gays bill, ain't worth the paper its written on! LOL!

Boy the teahaddists are really going to be PO'ed over this!

[cosmicone]

5. They can still discriminate -- repeal the law damnit. n/t

[yellowcanine]

8. Yep - Weaselly language - "does not authorize" not the same as prohibiting.

They need to repeal the original law and pass a new law which prohibits discrimination. Simple as that.

[rpannier]

9. Glad someone noticed that as well

Basically, I'm not encouraging you to do so, but... if you wish to do it then go ahead

[LiberalFighter]

6. The "fix" has limited application.

They can still discriminate. Nothing was done with the civil rights section of Indiana's code.

[caraher]

7. Misleading headline

It doesn't "put an end to discrimination," it just lets stand the few protections that exist at the municipal level in a few cities. It does not offer a statewide protection against discrimination.

[Zorra]

10. Well, it seems ok. Preachers and such can toss LGBT or whoever they want out of their churches

at will, nothing new there, and their religious schools too, nothing new there either, and those are generally good thing for LGBT and all children anyway.

http://iga.in.gov/documents/92b34f58

[Skittles]

12. so what exactly is it authorizing businesses to do

why can't these bigots just spell it out?

[Stonepounder]

13. Sorry. This is still bupkis!

According to the new law, a hospital, run by a religious tax-exempt organization, as a non-profit, can STILL refuse to treat LGBT if they so choose. Go read the 'clarification' at http://iga.in.gov/documents/92b34f58.

[unterrified democrat]

16. Rastafarians?

Does this mean Rastafarians cannot be prosecuted for their herbal rites?

[cynzke]

17. SMOKE SCREEN!

Tacking some fancy words to RFRA is a smoke screen. That is not where the ability to discriminate originates. Indiana Civil Rights Codes do not protect LGBT's as a legally protected group. Pence and the GOP are doing this, hoping to distract people/businesses to stave off economic boycotts. Nothing has changed. BUSINESS AS USUAL!