Last April, the Indiana legislature and governor were bullied by homosexualists nationwide to weaken the religious liberty of citizens, but that law didn't go far enough according to Gay Agenda advocates.
UPDATE 2/3/16: Gay Agenda Bill Dies in Indiana Legislature (see excerpts below)
For background, read Indiana Law to Fight Gay Agenda Jettisoned by Republicans and also read Media, Gays Shut Down Indiana Christian Pizza Restaurant
And read Homosexualists' Bullying of Commerce Challenged
Click headlines below to read previous articles:
Lesbian Denver Official Nixes Christian Business at Airport
Gay Agenda: IBM Boycotts Christian Louisiana Gov. Jindal
Corporations Embrace Gay Agenda, With a Vengeance
Pro Sports, GOP Urge Supreme Court to Go Gay
-- From "150 businesses in group pushing for Indiana LGBT protections" by Brian Slodysko, Associated Press 12/2/15
A coalition of 150 Indiana businesses said Wednesday that the absence of a state law guaranteeing LGBT civil rights protections could hamper the ability of companies to draw talented workers, harming the state economy.
Indiana Competes, which includes Eli Lilly and Co., Cummins, AT&T and Anthem among its ranks, plans to hold events around the state in the coming weeks to publicize the issue ahead of the legislative session that begins in January.
[Last April, the] law was changed amid the unrest. But in the aftermath, business groups and other supporters of gay and lesbian rights have pushed for a statewide ban on disicimination in housing, employment and public accommodation based on a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Religious conservatives, however, object because they believe it could force Christian businesses owners to violate sincerely held religious beliefs.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Indiana Businesses Join Forces To Push For LGBT Protections" by Mike Perleberg, WSCH-FM99.3 (Lawrenceburg, IN) 12/3/15
The coalition plans to hold events throughout the state to recruit business pledges and educate other business leaders on LGBT equality’s impact on economic growth.
Indiana is still struggling to include them in the state’s civil rights law without angering conservatives and religious groups who supported the original version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act [RFRA]. The law passed earlier this year caused many businesses and states to boycott Indiana, worrying many in the business community.
Proposed legislation from Indiana Senate Republicans would add sexual orientation and sexual identity to the state’s civil rights law, but would also carve out religious exemptions.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Firms: Protect LGBT rights" by Olivia Covington, The Republic (Columbus, IN) 12/4/15
Local lawmakers don’t believe a lack of statewide civil rights protections for LGBT Hoosiers hinders employers from attracting quality workers or stifles the state economy.
. . . state Sen. Greg Walker, a Republican representing Columbus, said Indiana’s economy is growing, even after the nationwide uproar over the Religious Freedom Restoration Act last spring.
Ultimately, lawmakers passed an amended bill that said businesses could not discriminate based on sexual orientation but declined to add that protection to the state’s civil rights code.
. . . State GOP leaders are already working toward finding the common ground with Democrats. Republicans in the Senate proposed a bill last month that would grant protections to LGBT Hoosiers while also carving out certain religious exemptions.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Indiana businesses join in LGBT campaign" by Jeff Swiatek, Indianapolis Star 12/2/15
The Indy Chamber has organized the coalition, using its office space in the Chase Tower. Joining the coalition, called Indiana Competes, is free for businesses, but donations are requested, said Indy Chamber CEO Michael Huber.
Micah Clark, executive director of the American Family Association of Indiana, which has fought past efforts to pass statewide LGBT protections, called the business coalition "an unnecessary politicizing of the workforce."
Ron Johnson, executive director of Indiana Pastors Alliance, also criticized the coalition, saying, "It's really buying into a false narrative … that there is a large population of LGBT workers who are being discriminated against."
"There are Christian … business owners … who are being fined and discriminated against. Those are the people we should be trying to protect," he said.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Indiana's proposed new religious freedom plan draws ire" by Michelle L. Quinn and Carrie Napoleon, Chicago Tribune 11/26/15
Senate Republicans recently detailed a plan that would extend civil rights to include people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Business groups and other supporters, for example, would like to see housing and public accommodations made for those groups.
It would also, however, leave religious or religious-affiliated groups — such as private schools, adoption agencies, social service and charitable service agencies — exempt from abiding by any protections offered. It also would prohibit the state from taking any action against those groups that don't abide by the protections. The state could not evoke tax exemptions, deny tax deductions, withhold grants or contracts, or deny accreditation or licenses, under the plan.
Additionally, the proposal allows small businesses with fewer than four full-time employees to refuse providing marriage-related services or goods on religious grounds, and transgender people would have to prove they'd had at least 12 months of medical care and actively lived as the sex to which they identify before they could use a coinciding restroom or dressing room, or file a complaint to the Indiana Human Rights Commission.
And any person identifying as LGBT who files a "frivolous" complaint to the Indiana Human Rights Commission would be fined $1,000, under the proposal.
Protections that 20 municipalities have carved out for the LGBT community, meanwhile, would be superseded, a point over which the Lake County Council expressed disbelief. That council passed an LGBT protection ordinance in May.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Republicans Going Gay, to be 'Moderate' & Likeable
From "Senate GOP unveils bill with LGBT protections" by Niki Kelly, The Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, IN) 11/17/15
The proposed legislation - Senate Bill 100 - would generally bar discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing and employment.
The bill also delves into the issue of bathroom usage in schools and public places by stating it is not discriminatory or unlawful segregation to have restroom and shower policies, as well as dress codes, based on sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.
According to conservative group Advance America, "making gender identity a protected class will give men, including sexual predators (rapists and child molesters), legal access to women’s restrooms throughout Indiana, as well as women’s locker rooms in a fitness facility and other locations like public pools thereby placing women and girls at risk of being harmed!"
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
UPDATE 2/2/16: From "Indiana gay rights bill is dead: 'We took a beating from all sides'" by The Associated Press & Chicago Tribune wire reports
Indiana Republican lawmakers abandoned efforts to strengthen protections for lesbian, gay and bi-sexual people on Tuesday, opting not to vote on a measure designed to restore the state's reputation following a national boycott over a religious objections law last year.
Efforts to find a balance between the civil rights of the LGBT community and religious liberty had satisfied no one, said Sen. David Long, leader of majority Republicans. He said efforts to pass a gay rights bill were dead for this legislative year.
The measure abandoned by Republicans was faulted by Democrats and LGBT rights activists for not including transgender people and allowing broad religious exemptions. Religious conservatives said it would still require people to provide services for same-sex marriages such as flowers or cakes even if they had religious objections.
Some evangelical Christians welcomed its demise, saying it would have whittled away religious freedom. American Family Association of Indiana director Micah Clark said the bill was a "fatally flawed concept."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
UPDATE 2/3/16: From "Why Indiana lawmakers killed the gay rights debate for this year" by Stephanie Wang, Chelsea Schneider and Tony Cook, Indianapolis Star
The end of the debate marks a huge win for religious conservatives, who have been battling a changing cultural tide on gay rights issues. It also relieves political pressure on Republican Gov. Mike Pence, a born-again Christian who last month questioned the need for such legislation, as he seeks re-election.
Pulling the plug on legislation deals a blow to influential Indiana businesses that pushed for LGBT rights, and to advocacy groups that have, until now, successfully fought to advance the status of LGBT Hoosiers.
It was a swift death for the gay rights proposal, Senate Bill 344, which was carried by Republican leadership in the Senate. Last week, a Senate committee crafted and gave initial approval to the proposal to extend civil rights to gay Hoosiers, but not transgender people, with some exemptions for religious organizations, faith-based groups and small businesses providing wedding services.
Social conservatives and tea party activists who were upset with recent legislative losses on same-sex marriage and the so-called RFRA “fix” had pledged to exact revenge on Republican lawmakers who crossed them again.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read about the Gay Agenda strategy of attacking one town (or one state) at a time to elevate "gay rights" over religious liberty.
And read Gay Agenda will be Complete when Christians are Muzzled, Say Homosexualists as well as Senator Ted Cruz Says the Gay Agenda Ends Christian Liberty
