Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday declined to sign a religious objection bill and called for changes to ensure the measure does not appear to be discriminatory.
Hutchinson, a Republican, sought to avoid the kind of backlash from gay rights groups and some business leaders that has followed a similar law in Indiana, where leaders pledged a legislative fix for their version of the bill.
Hutchinson asked the state legislature to recall the bill for changes, and said he would consider issuing a separate executive order to make sure the measure is not seen as discriminating against any group.
The changes would include making the state law more closely follow a 1993 federal religious freedom law, he said.
Arkansas is “a state that does not discriminate and respects tolerance,” said Hutchinson, who had been expected to sign the bill. He said the state needed to find a balance between religious freedom and tolerance.
In the past Hutchinson had said he would sign the measure, but opposition pressure, especially from the business community, has been intense on the governor, who has made creating jobs a key plank in his platform.
Arkansas’ largest employer, Wal-Mart, has urged Hutchinson to veto the measure and other companies have followed suit.
“Every day, in our stores, we see firsthand the benefits diversity and inclusion have on our associates, customers and communities we serve,” Chief Executive Doug McMillon said in a statement posted on Twitter. “It all starts with our core basic belief of respect for the individual. Today’s passage of HB1228 threatens to undermine the spirit of inclusion present throughout the state of Arkansas and does not reflect the values we proudly uphold. For these reasons, we are asking Gov. Hutchinson to veto this legislation.”
Other business leaders, including Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook, have condemned the legislation in Indiana and elsewhere. Cook and other high-tech business leaders argue that the measures send a bad message to companies and their consumers.
It is no secret that social conservatives have pushed the measures, which they say are designed to protect the free expression of religion. Twenty states have such laws; Arkansas would be the 21st if Hutchinson eventually signs some form of the bill.
The specific language of the laws varies, but all give additional protection from lawsuits if a person acts out of religious beliefs. Supporters say the laws are not designed to discriminate against gays, but critics insist they would.
The usual example used by critics involves bakers, florists or photographers who could choose to deny services to same-sex couples who are marrying. There have been two high-profile cases of such denial of service, but both were resolved by state agencies using anti-discrimination laws in Oregon and New Mexico respectively.
If the laws have split two key constituencies, social conservatives and business leaders, they have also worried the world of sports, including automobile racing, known for attracting conservative fans.
In a statement released Tuesday, NASCAR said it was unhappy with the Indiana law.
“NASCAR is disappointed by the recent legislation passed in Indiana,” said Brett Jewkes, senior vice president and chief communications officer, in a statement. “We will not embrace nor participate in exclusion or intolerance. We are committed to diversity and inclusion within our sport and therefore will continue to welcome all competitors and fans at our events in the state of Indiana and anywhere else we race.”
The criticism from the racing industry, famed for the annual Indianapolis 500 automobile race, follows concern expressed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which said it would look to see if Indiana’s law was a problem for future events.
The NCAA will hold its basketball championships in Indianapolis this weekend.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC