In a press conference announcing a “fix” to the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act, some of the Republican representatives said they favored and may seek the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) in Indiana’s civil rights law which forbid discrimination in housing and employment based on race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry.
As of now, 18 states have explicit protection of LGBTs under so-called employment non-discrimination laws. According to legal experts, such laws have been used to punish or otherwise clamp down on Christians expressing their religious views in work settings.
Washington State and California have such laws.
Even though he was an advertiser on the station, a business owner in Washington State was ordered not to play the Christian radio station at his business because it offended a gay employee.
In the city of Oakland, California, a group of LGBT employees formed an LGBT employees association. A group of Christian employees tried to found one of their own, but were informed under the ENDA law, they couldn’t and would lose their jobs if they tried.
With the exception of the 109th Congress, ENDA laws have been introduced in every US Congress since 1994 and have never garnered enough votes to pass.
Follow Austin Ruse on Twitter @austinruse
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