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RFRA Debate Raises Questions About LGBT Civil Rights Protection

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The controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) that’s being debated in the Indiana legislature is sparking another debate: whether state law should protect gays and lesbians from discrimination.

RFRA’s supporters say the proposed law only ensures the government can’t restrict a person’s religious practices unless it has a compelling interest to do so. They believe the state’s civil rights statute qualifies as a compelling interest. 

But the statewide civil rights law bars discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry, not sexual orientation. 

House Minority Leader Scott Pelath says it should.

“In this day and age, anyone who fires someone for the sole reason of their sexual orientation…well, I would think that most people would agree that that’s wrong,” Pelath said.

Governor Mike Pence, who supports RFRA, says debate on that bill has nothing to do with discriminating against the LGBT community.

“I think that is a…that’s a question for another time," Pence said. "That’s not what this is about.”

About a dozen local city and county ordinances around the state bar discrimination based on sexual orientation, but Pelath says he’s worried RFRA will undo those protections.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.