The leaders of nine Indiana businesses on Monday wrote a letter to the state’s Republican leaders urging them to make sure the new religious freedom law does not allow discrimination.
The chief executive officers of Angie’s List, Anthem, Cummins, Dow AgroSciences, Eli Lilly and Co., Emmis Communications, IU Health, Roche Diagnostics and Salesforce Marketing signed the letter.
They wrote to Gov. Mike Pence (R), as well as the state Senate and House GOP leaders, that they were “deeply concerned” about the impact the new law would have on employees and the state’s reputation, according to a copy of the letter obtained by WTHR-TV.
“All of our companies seek to promote fair, diverse and inclusive workplaces. Our employees must not feel unwelcome in the place where they work and live,” they wrote in the letter. “As leaders in the Indiana business community, we call on you to take immediate action to ensure that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act will not sanction or encourage discrimination against any residents or visitors to our state by anyone.”
The CEOs specifically asked that Republican leaders to make sure that businesses will not be able to discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
“By immediately enacting new legislation that makes it clear that neither the Religious Freedom Restoration Act nor any other Indiana law can be used to justify discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identity, our state’s elected leaders can provide the reassurance to the people of our state, our nation and the world that is needed at this critical moment,” they wrote.
Numerous businesses and groups have have criticized Indiana’s new religious freedom law and have announced that they will boycott the state or delay expansion in response to the legislation.
Keep the pressure up. There is a time limit as the State Legislature adjures at the end of April.
While it is always amusing to watch the Wall Street Wing of the GOP deal with the “Deliverance” Wing of the GOP, I do hope they can remove this law, and, if possible, the stigma of hatred and bigotry that this law has brought to Indiana.
“By immediately enacting new legislation that makes it clear that neither the Religious Freedom Restoration Act nor any other Indiana law can be used to justify discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identity, our state’s elected leaders can provide the reassurance to the people of our state, our nation and the world that is needed at this critical moment,” they wrote.
Boy, you guys sure know how to take all the fun out of bigotry!
“…our state’s elected leaders can provide the reassurance…”
That’s easy.
People who don’t donate to the Republican Party are second-class citizens who deserve to be punished.
By the way, business owner, haven’t seen any checks from you lately…
Thought only 36% of the Indiana electorate were in charge Eh ?Hope this is an omen for 2016 elections especially in the House and Senate.Living in that bubble will shock everytime.
“WASHINGTON – Indiana’s Republican leaders said they were shocked,
confused and completely caught off-guard by the backlash to their new
“religious freedom” law, telling reporters Monday that they had not
expected criticism calling the measure anti-gay. “I don’t think
anyone anticipated that the characterization of the bill would be, this
denies to services to a specific class to Hoosiers. It does just the
opposite. It includes all Hoosiers in the religious freedom standard.
And it’s a misperception that it denies services,” said Indiana state
House Speaker Brian Bosma ® during a Monday morning press conference
with Indiana Senate President Pro Tem David Long ®. Long
acknowledged that the GOP-controlled legislature did not work with
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights groups on crafting the
language of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act because the lawmakers
didn’t think the bill would affect that community.”