OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee says he is imposing an administration-wide ban on state-funded travel to Indiana after the passage of a new law that critics say has the potential to discriminate against gays and lesbians and others based on religious beliefs.
The governor’s statement Monday comes a few days after Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, who is the city’s first openly gay mayor, banned city-funded travel to the state.
Inslee noted a recent case in Washington state where the state sued a florist who refused to provide flowers for a same-sex wedding. A judge ruled in that case that the florist had violated the state’s antidiscrimination and consumer protection laws.
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In neighboring Oregon, Portland mayor Charlie Hales also said that all city-funded travel to Indiana has been temporarily halted.
Connecticut governor Dan Malloy announced a similar ban earlier Monday, as did San Francisco mayor Ed Lee and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.