I won't sign discriminatory 'religious freedom’ bill unless changes are made- Gov. Asa Hutchinson

Another Republican governor is backing off his support for a controversial “religious freedom” bill that could legalize discrimination against gays and lesbians.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Wednesday that he would not sign his state’s “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” unless it was changed so it wouldn’t permit discrimination against the gay community.

“My responsibility is to speak out for my own convictions and do what I can to make sure this bill reflects the values of the people of Arkansas, protects those of religious conscience, but also minimizes the chances of discrimination in the workplace and in the public environment,” Hutchinson said.

“It’s been my intention all along … that the bill be crafted in a way that mirrors the federal legislation,” he added. “The bill that is on my desk does not precisely mirror the federal law.”

“Therefore, I ask that changes be made in the legislation,” Hutchinson said, requesting that his state’s general assembly either recall the current bill and put forth an amended replacement or propose additional legislation that would include the necessary changes.

Hutchinson was referring to a 1993 federal law, signed by President Bill Clinton, that aimed “to maximize the religious freedom of individuals, provided there's no compelling government interest against it,” New York Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer, who sponsored the bill then, explained this week.

The federal bill was written in a response to a Supreme Court ruling denying unemployment benefits to two Native Americans fired for testing positive for a hallucinogenic drug they used in religious ceremonies and included absolutely no language that could be used to justify discrimination against gays and lesbians.

The Religious Freedom Restoration Acts in Arkansas and Indiana, on the other hand, broadly bar statutes that "substantially burden" a person's ability to follow their religious beliefs, leading critics to say that they would effectively legalize the refusal of services by business to gays and lesbians on religious grounds.

Hutchinson attributed the growing controversy over the bills to a national “split on how to balance the diversity of our culture with the convictions of our closely held beliefs.”

The freshman governor, who took office four months ago, said there was a “generational gap” among supporters and detractors of the law and that his own son had asked him to veto the bill.

Previously, he had repeatedly vowed to sign it when it reached his desk.

Hutchinson’s backtracking comes just a day after Indiana Gov. Mike Pence himself reversed course on his state’s law, and as the CEO of Walmart — the world’s largest retailer and one of Arkansas’ biggest employers — implored Hutchinson to veto the bill.

“Every day in our stores, we see firsthand the benefits diversity and inclusion have on our associates, customers and communities we serve,” Doug McMillan, the president and CEO of Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart said in a statement issued late Tuesday. “It all starts with our core basic belief of respect for the individual. Today’s passage of HB1228 threatens to undermine the spirit of inclusion present throughout the state of Arkansas and does not reflect the values we proudly uphold.”

Pence faced even more resistance to his own bill, which he signed into law last week, than Hutchinson did, and on Tuesday, ordered the bill rewritten so it wouldn’t permit discrimination.

His request, however, came only after a growing number of powerful companies, including Apple, Angie’s List and the NCAA, called on him to clarify or repeal the law.

In addition, lawmakers across the country blasted Pence’s defense of the legislation, with several Democratic governors, including New York’s Andrew Cuomo and Connecticut’s Dannel Malloy, signing bans on official state business travel to Indiana.