(Arkansas Gov.) Hutchinson signs new religion bill

[alp227]

Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Thursday signed a bill that closely aligns state law with the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act a day after he asked lawmakers to make changes to a different religious-protection bill that many criticized as discriminatory.

The Arkansas House voted 76-17 to pass Senate Bill 975, which cleared the Senate late Wednesday and made it out of the House Judiciary Committee earlier Thursday.

SB975 is seen as a replacement for House Bill 1228, a bill supporters said ensured state protections for religious freedom but opponents decried as enabling discrimination against gay people.

Hutchinson had said he would sign HB1228 but announced Wednesday after it made it to his desk that he wanted a change — either by amendment or new legislation — that brought the bill's intent closer to the language of the 1993 federal act, which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton.

Read more: http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2015/apr/02/house-panel-taking-new-religion-bills/

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

1. These laws are created SOLELY to discriminate, so why pass it at all?

BTW, Pence and bigots have no intention of fixing theirs.

They are just waiting for us to focus on something else.

I hope all businesses that arent bigots move out of Indiana

[Fred Sanders]

2. The Arkansas new law SB 975 does actually "mirror" the federal law...

ftp://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/2015/Public/SB975.pdf

The new legislation specifically mentions it shall not be interpreted contrary to the federal law of 1993, and there is no expansion to private individuals or business.

The part about this legislation being an "emergency", though, is hilarious.

[cosmicone]

3. Asa played this beautifully

He can now satisfy pretty much everyone by signing the senate bill and vetoing the assembly bill.

Doesn't make me stop loathing that man though.

[DonCoquixote]

5. we know this is bs

because the judges will still interpret the law as they want it. It will take nothing less than Wal-Mart cracking a whip.