Lobbys and companies say religious freedom law is anti-gay

A couple of thousand people marched in Indiana's largest city on Saturday to protest against a state law that supporters contend promotes religious freedom but detractors see as a covert move to support discrimination against gay people.

The measure, which takes effect in July, prohibits state laws that "substantially burden" a person's ability to follow his or her religious beliefs. The definition of "person" includes religious institutions, businesses and associations.

Waving signs reading "No hate in our state and carrying rainbow flags, a crowd of at least 2,000 people including elected Democrat officials rallied on the same day that business-rating website Angie's List Inc put on hold its plans to expand its Indianapolis operation with new offices, citing the new law.

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act was passed overwhelmingly by the Republican-led state legislature and signed into law on Thursday by Indiana Governor Mike Pence.

"This bill is not about discrimination and does not in any way legalise discrimination in Indiana," said Pence's spokeswoman, Kara Brooks.

Supporters say the legislation will keep the government from forcing business owners to act against strongly held religious beliefs. Opponents say it is discriminatory against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and broader than other states' religious freedom laws.

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 on Monday that they had not expected criticism calling the measure anti-gay.

"I don't think anyone anticipated that the characterisation of the bill would be that this denies 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 .

ANGIE´S LIST

Since the year after its 1995 founding, Angie's List has been headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The $315 million corporation which lets users review local businesses, especially home improvement professionals, has been planning a $40 million renovation of its own, moving its headquarters across town and adding 1000 new jobs over five years.

But thanks to state lawmakers and Republican Governor Mike Pence's new Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act, those expansion plans have been cancelled.

"Angie's List is open to all and discriminates against none and we are hugely disappointed in what this bill represents," CEO Bill Oesterle said in a statement today, adding, the expansion is "on hold until we fully understand the implications of the freedom restoration act on our employees, both current and future."

REACTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Seattle's openly gay mayor, Ed Murray, said on Saturday he will ban city employees from travelling to Indiana on official business. "None of our taxpayer dollars should go toward supporting this discriminatory law", Murray said.

The National Basketball Association and Women's National Basketball Association said in a joint statement the basketball leagues would ensure all fans, players and employees feel welcome at events in Indiana and elsewhere. "The game of basketball is grounded in long established principles of inclusion and mutual respect," they said.

A day after Indiana's move, the Arkansas Senate overwhelmingly approved a similar bill, which Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, has said he would sign into law. Wal-Mart Stores Inc, which has its home office in Bentonville, Arkansas, criticised that measure.

Meanwhile, Dan Malloy, Governor of Connecticut, today signed an executive order banning state-funded travel to Indiana. 

TIM COOK

On Friday, Apple Inc's Tim Cook, one of the most prominent openly gay American CEOs, joined other executives, including Salesforce.com Inc's Marc Benioff, in blasting the law.

The head of Apple, Tim Cook, has warned of "something very dangerous" happening in states across the US after Indiana passed a bill which it is feared will allow individuals and businesses to discriminate legally against homosexuals.

He was writing in The Washington Post after Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed off the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that allows businesses to cite religious beliefs as a legal defence, such as when wishing to refuse a service to homosexuals.