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Lawmakers Spar Over What It Means To 'Clarify' RFRA

Noah Coffey
/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/noahwesley/

Republican leaders announced Monday they will introduce legislative language to clarify that Indiana’s religious freedom bill will not allow discrimination against anyone.  But Democratic leaders Tim Lanane (D-Anderson) and Scott Pelath (D-Michigan City) say full repeal of the law must be the first step…with the second being legislation to specifically protect LGBT Hoosiers through the state’s anti-discrimination law.  But Speaker Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) says with only four weeks left in the session, now isn’t the time for that debate:

“I think that’s an uphill battle to get that very controversial issue – which has only been successful in a minority of states – to get that resolved here in short order,” Bosma says.

But Lanane says Republicans need to make time:

“Many, many other states have already adopted it into their state civil rights act, so we can look to them for guidance on this thing.  There’s certainly a way to solve this,” Lanane says.

Local ordinances in 12 Indiana cities protect gays and lesbians from discrimination, but some fear those could be at risk under the new law.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.
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