XPost: seattle.business, alt.california, ny.politics   
   XPost: alt.politics.obama   
   From: murray@seattle.gov   
      
   The interstate backlash to Indiana's new religious freedom law   
   is growing even as state lawmakers move to clarify the   
   legislation, with Seattle Mayor Ed Murray vowing to issue an   
   executive order this week banning city workers from taxpayer-   
   funded travel to the state.   
      
   The Seattle mayor's statement is the latest boycott threat to   
   emerge over claims that the law has the potential to   
   discriminate against gays and others.   
      
   Murray, a Democrat who is openly gay, says the law doesn't   
   reflect Seattle residents’ values. He also has told all city   
   departments to review their contracts to see whether Seattle is   
   doing business with any company whose headquarters is in Indiana.   
      
   “Seattleites know that discrimination has no place in our city,”   
   he said in a statement over the weekend. “That’s just equality   
   101.”   
      
   The primary concern is that the law might allow a business to   
   discriminate against gay residents, such as a baker being   
   allowed refuse an order from a gay couple for a wedding cake.   
      
   But state lawmakers and Republican Gov. Mike Pence have been   
   defending and trying to explain the Religious Freedom   
   Restoration Act ever since the governor signed it into law on   
   Thursday. They note that then-President Bill Clinton in 1993   
   signed similar federal legislation into law, and 19 other states   
   also have similar policies.   
      
   However, the Indiana law differs in several ways, primarily in   
   that it allows a business to assert a right to "the free   
   exercise of religion."   
      
   On Monday, state Senate President Pro Tem David Long and House   
   Speaker Brian Bosma, both Republicans, held a press conference   
   to further explain the law. They said they will swiftly try to   
   "clarify" its language.   
      
   “The new law does not discriminate,” Long said. “And it will not   
   be allowed. To the extent that we need to clarify through   
   legislative action, we plan to do just that.”   
      
   Aside from Indiana, 15 other states have introduced legislation   
   in 2015 to craft or alter their religious freedom laws.   
   Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas have introduced legislation   
   to amend their laws. Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii,   
   Michigan, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, South Dakota, Utah,   
   West Virginia and Wyoming are looking to put a similar law on   
   their books.   
      
   Bosma acknowledged a major concern is whether businesses will   
   now be legally permitted to deny services to some people, as a   
   result of the law, and that even he is unclear.   
      
   “We don’t believe that will be the effect,” he said. “We are   
   looking at options to clarify that that's the case.”   
      
   Long and Bosma also conceded they called the press conference   
   because Pence failed to clearly explain the law during an   
   appearance Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”   
      
   Pence said the legislation prohibits Indiana laws that   
   "substantially burden" a person's ability to follow his or her   
   religious beliefs, with the definition of "person" including   
   religious institutions, businesses and associations.   
      
   However, he did not answer directly when asked six times   
   whether, under the law, it would be legal for a merchant to   
   refuse to serve gay customers.   
      
   Long on Monday also denied that a clarification of the law would   
   be needed before this weekend’s men’s NCAA Final Four basketball   
   championships, in Indianapolis.   
      
   A record-breaking 158,682 people attended the games last year in   
   Texas. And any boycott would have the potential to cut much   
   anticipated revenue for Indianapolis-area hotels, restaurants   
   and other businesses.   
      
   The NCAA, whose headquarters is in Indianapolis, also has   
   expressed concern about the law, as figures in corporate America   
   and Hollywood voice their opposition.   
      
   “We are especially concerned about how this legislation could   
   affect our student-athletes and employees,” said NCAA President   
   Mark Emmert. “We intend to closely examine the implications of   
   this bill and how it might affect future events as well as our   
   workforce."   
      
   Angie’s List, the business-rating website, this weekend put on   
   hold plans to expand its Indianapolis headquarters.   
      
   Actor George Takei is calling for a boycott. And actor Ashton   
   Kutcher recently tweeted: “Indiana are you also going to allow   
   Christian establishments to ban Jews from coming in? Or Vice   
   Versa? Religious freedom??? #OUTRAGE.”   
      
   http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/03/30/seattle-mayor-bans-   
   official-travel-to-indiana-amid-opposition-to-state-new/   
         
      
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