Four West Coast mayors lift bans on city-funded travel to Indiana

SEATTLE — The mayors of four West Coast cities say they’re lifting bans imposed on city-funded travel to Indiana after changes were made to that state’s religious objections law to make clear it can’t be used to discriminate.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, Portland Mayor Charlie Hales, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Oakland, California, Mayor Libby Schaaf issued statements Tuesday announcing they were rescinding their city’s travel ban.

Fears that Indiana’s religious objections law would allow discrimination against gays and lesbians led some state and local governments to ban travel to Indiana.

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Murray and Lee also urged Indiana to add more protections to prevent discrimination of gays, lesbians and others.

Governors in Connecticut, New York and Washington state have also lifted bans imposed last week.