Arkansas governor urges changes to religious objection bill

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday called for changes to a religious objection bill that was sent to him by lawmakers and faces a backlash from businesses and gay rights groups. Hutchinson said the measure was not intended to allow discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Backers of the bill say it is meant to prohibit state and local governments from infringing upon someone's religious beliefs without a compelling government interest. Opponents say it is designed to protect businesses and individuals who do not want to serve gays and lesbians, such as florists or caterers who might be hired for a same-sex wedding.

Hutchinson said he wants the legislature to either recall the bill or pass a follow-up measure to make the proposal more closely mirror a 1993 federal religious freedom measure signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton.

Hutchinson said in a news conference Wednesday that he was sending the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) back to the Republican-controlled state legislature for a rewrite to better balance tolerance for diversity and protection of religious freedom.

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

The governor said his own son had asked him to veto the measure, adding a personal element to the intense pressure to reject it that he has faced from businesses such as Arkansas-based Walmart, the world's biggest retailer.

"We want to be known as a state that does not discriminate, but understands tolerance. That is the challenge that we face," Hutchinson said. "We just didn't get it perfect through that legislative process." 

Walmart released a statement on Twitter commending Hutchinson, saying that "we clearly support the importance of religious freedom and encourage the legislature to make certain any legislation does not encourage discrimination."

Hutchinson's reversal came a day after Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, also a Republican, said he was sending his state's RFRA back for a rewrite for the same reason.

Twenty U.S. states and the federal government have RFRAs, which allow individuals to sue the government if they believe their First Amendment religious rights have been violated.

But the Indiana and Arkansas measures go further than all but one of the other state laws, allowing lawsuits between private parties. The two states’ measures raise the possibility that businesses could use the laws as a defense if they refuse services to same-sex couples.

Texas is the only other state with a similar provision. Hutchison said he was asking lawmakers to bring the Arkansas RFRA in line with the federal one, which does not include the language on lawsuits between private parties. 

Al Jazeera and wire services