Ark. governor: Change bill

Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, ARK.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson backed away Wednesday from his promise to sign a controversial religious-objections bill, bowing to pressure from critics that included his own son and some of the state’s biggest employers, who say the legislation is anti-gay.

The Republican governor said he wants the Legislature either to recall the bill from his desk or pass a follow-up measure that would make the proposal more closely mirror a federal religious-freedom law.

Hutchinson said his son Seth was among those who signed a petition asking him to veto the bill.

“This is a bill that in ordinary times would not be controversial,” the governor said. “But these are not ordinary times.”

Hutchinson initially supported the bill, and Tuesday, his office said he planned to sign it into law. But a day later, his position had changed.

“What is important from an Arkansas standpoint is one, we get the right balance. And secondly, we make sure that we communicate we’re not going to be a state that fails to recognize the diversity of our workplace, our economy and our future,” Hutchinson said at a news conference at the state Capitol.

He was the second governor in as many days to give ground to opponents of the legislation.

After Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed a similar measure last week, Pence and fellow Republicans endured days of sharp criticism from around the country. The Indiana governor is now seeking follow-up legislation to address concerns that the law could allow businesses to discriminate based on sexual orientation.

Hutchinson also faced pressure from the state’s top employers, including Wal-Mart, which has asked for the bill to be vetoed. Little Rock’s mayor, the city’s Chamber of Commerce and Arkansas-based data-services company Acxiom have all urged the governor to reject the bill.

Other big names in business, including Apple, Gap and Levi Strauss, have also spoken out against the religious-objection measures.

Experts say companies are increasingly concerned about any laws that could alienate customers, hurt state economies or limit employers’ ability to attract and retain talent.

Arkansas-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is particularly influential because it is the world’s largest retailer and the nation’s largest private employer.

Neither the Indiana nor Arkansas law specifically mentions gays and lesbians, but opponents are concerned that the language contained in them could offer a legal defense to businesses and other institutions that refuse to serve gays, such as caterers, florists or photographers with religious objections to same-sex marriage.

Supporters insist the law will only give religious objectors a chance to bring their case before a judge.

Hutchinson did not specifically call for changes that would prohibit the law from being used to deny services, but the governor said he did not believe the bill was intended to do so.