An Indiana House committee just passed an anti-gay bill that will allow anyone to discriminate against LGBT people, citing their deeply held religious beliefs.
A bill that would write a license to discriminate into Indiana state law is one step closer to becoming reality. After the Senate passed a so-called “religious freedom” bill last month by a large 40-10 margin, the House Judiciary committee just a short time ago today passed the legislation as well.Â
SB 101, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, states that “a governmental entity may not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability.” In other words, the State of Indiana may not enact or enforce any law that would infringe on any person’s interpretation of their religion or religious beliefs.
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Wide, sweeping legislation like this RFRA are becoming extremely common in the nation, with several dozen states already enacting them, and more being debated in legislatures regularly.
The bill, should it pass the Indiana House and be signed into law by Indiana Republican Governor Mike Pence, whose record of support for religious extremism is unparalleled, would allow a pharmacist to refuse to dispense HIV/AIDS medication, birth control or abortion medication – even when prescribed by a physician. It in theory could allow an emergency medical technician (EMT), nurse, doctor, or other medical professional to refuse to treat an LGBT person. And it could allow any business owner, say, a bake shop or photographer, to refuse to work on a same-sex wedding.
Gov. Pence has already stated he will sign the bill if it gets to his desk.
The bill’s language is so broad that it could allow any person whose religious beliefs mandate the subordination of women to refuse to serve them in a restaurant, in a DMV, or at a local store.Â
“We want to be able to practice our faith even in our businesses, in our homes, in our churches without fear of being prosecuted,” SB 101 supporter Cindy Holmes told WTHR. “You hear stories all over the country where where bakers and florists are losing their businesses and homes just because they wanted to practice their faiths and stand by their beliefs. We want to be able to do that in Indiana and we don’t believe the Constitution does that for us in complete.”
Of course, no baker or florist has lost their business and their home, “just because they wanted to practice their faiths and stand by their beliefs,” despite what the religious right tells their followers.
One opponent of the bill reminded supporters that laws like SB 101, based on religion, were used to discriminate against Black people also.
“I’m a woman, I’m African American,” Whittney Murphy told WTHR. “I’m also a member of the LGBT community. So, if I walk up to a store and there’s a sign that says no LGBT people, I remember reading from history there were signs that said no African Americans and that was based on religion as well.”
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