Written by Don Byrd
The Arizona legislature last week passed sweeping amendments to the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act that would protect individuals and businesses from government regulation as well as private lawsuits for their religiously motivated conduct. The bill will not become law, however, following tonight’s veto from Governor Jan Brewer. In her veto statement, she explained her reasoning (pdf):
Senate Bill 1062 does not address a specific and present concern related to religious liberty in Arizona. I have not heard of one example in Arizona where a business owner’s religious liberty has been violated. The bill is broadly worded and could result in unintended and negative consequences. After weighing all of the arguments, I vetoed Senate Bill 1062 moments ago. To the supporters of the legislation, I want you to know that I understand that long-held norms about marriage and family are being challenged as never before. Our society is undergoing many dramatic changes. However, I sincerely believe that Senate Bill 1062 has the potential to create more problems than it purports to solve. It could divide Arizona in ways we cannot even imagine and no one would ever want. Religious liberty is a core American and Arizona value, so is non-discrimination.
