INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana governor Mike Pence said Monday he is looking forward to signing a religious freedom bill that LGBT rights groups say is among the most sweeping “license to discriminate” bills introduced this year in more than a dozen state legislatures.
The measure, approved Monday in the state House by a vote of 63-31, would prohibit any state laws that “substantially burden” a person’s ability to follow his or her religious beliefs and has a definition of a “person” that includes religious institutions, businesses and associations.
Opponents say the bill provides widespread legal cover for discrimination against LGBT people.
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“The legislation, SB 101, is about respecting and reassuring Hoosiers that their religious freedoms are intact. I strongly support the legislation and applaud the members of the General Assembly for their work on this important issue. I look forward to signing the bill when it reaches my desk.”
