Indiana Religious Freedom Law Prompts State Travel Ban From Connecticut, Washington

While Indiana Gov. Mike Pence insists the Religious Restoration Act he signed into law will not be changed, Connecticut and Washington state are standing up against its anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender implications by refusing to allocate any state funds for travel to Indiana. Two state governors have come out in support of a ban, have called on other states to do the same and have invited businesses and groups relocation options should they also opt against traveling to Indiana.

On Monday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy of Connecticut became the first governor to support an outright travel ban. Malloy called the law “disturbing, disgraceful and outright discriminatory.” Although, there are some holes in Connecticut’s marriage equality, the governor stated his intent in a press conference: "We should continue to be a leader in speaking out against discrimination across the entirety of the nation. No state should use religious grounds to be the basis for discrimination against anyone in our country.''

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee opened his state to companies and organizations looking to relocate there and stop doing business in Indiana, while also promising to forgo travel funds to Indiana.

“I want to invite all those organizations, and anyone interested in a state that promotes equality and opportunity, to come visit Washington. We are open for business, and open to all people,” Inslee said in his address.

Openly gay Seattle Mayor Ed Murray also added his support to the boycott on Monday by pledging to do the same with any city funding. “I’m not doing this because I’m a gay man,” he said to a local NBC affiliate. “You cannot say, ‘You can’t come into my restaurant because you’re black and it’s my religious belief not to serve you.’ That is a settled question.” Over the weekend, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee made a similar declaration barring travel to Indiana unless it was “essential to public health and safety.”

Several celebrities including Apple CEO Tim Cook, actor George Takei and singer Miley Cyrus have come out against the new law. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act makes discrimination on religious basis legal, which could leave LGBT residents vulnerable to otherwise unlawful denial of service.