Louisiana
today killed the latest iteration of those bone-headed "religious freedom" bills popping up in states who think it's fine and dandy to bar gay people from getting goods and services like
normal people. The bill had big businesses such as
IBM warning that Louisiana would likely see a similar outraged backlash such as recently occurred in Indiana.
Brave Bobby Jindal didn't care. You see, he desperately needed to exploit this as a bold accomplishment to his extremist base in his futile run at the presidency. He is hopping mad.
"We are disappointed by the committee's action to return the Louisiana Marriage and Conscience Act to the calendar. We will be issuing an Executive Order shortly that will accomplish the intent of HB 707 to prevent the state from discriminating against persons or entities with deeply held religious beliefs that marriage is between one man and one woman.
"This Executive Order will prohibit the state from denying or revoking a tax exemption, tax deduction, contract, cooperative agreement, loan, professional license, certification, accreditation, or employment on the basis the person acts in accordance with a religious belief that marriage is between one man and one woman."
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Mike Johnson who is totally psyched that the governor will reject this tempered approach to a welcoming Louisiana in favor of good ol' fashioined fundamentalist fanaticism. Way to be, Bobby!
Of all the ridiculous things for states to be focusing on, this issue takes the wedding cake. Failing harder will not get the constitution to read differently on matters of discrimination.
4:45 PM PT: Update: Well that didn't take long. He has already issued the Executive Order.
SECTION 1: All departments, commissions, boards, agencies, and political subdivisions of the state are authorized and directed to take cognizance of the definition of “person” contained in La. R.S. 1:10 when complying with the Preservation of Religious Freedom Act (La. R.S. 13:5230-5242), the interpretation of the virtually identical federal law definition contained in 1 USC 1 by the United States Supreme Court in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby in its holding that the federal government is prohibited from requiring a “person” to act in contravention of a sincerely held religious belief, and that the definition of “person” includes individuals, non-profit, or for-profit corporations.
SECTION 2: All departments, commissions, boards, agencies, and political subdivisions of the state are authorized and directed to comply with the restrictions placed upon government action in the Preservation of Religious Freedom Act and, including more specifically, on the basis that such person acts in accordance with his religious belief that marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman, shall take no adverse action.