“What Happened in Arizona?”

Written by Don Byrd
In the newest issue of the BJC’s Report From the Capital, General Counsel K. Hollyn Hollman discusses highly controversial religious freedom legislation vetoed by the Arizona Governor because it raised discrimination concerns. The proposal and the ensuing media storm cast an unfortunate shadow on RFRA legislation.

In her column, Hollman offers reasons why the Arizona bill escalated from a proposal to strengthen religious liberty protection into a culture war clash. In this climate, she suggests, proposals like the Arizona law are likely to cause more harm than good to the cause of religious liberty.

Read the full post for an excerpt…

What Does AZ Bill, Brewer’s Veto Say About the State of Religious Liberty in the U.S. Today?

Written by Don Byrd
Lots of pundits, reporters, and experts are weighing in today on the aftermath of Governor Brewer’s decision to veto controversial amendments to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The changes were designed to bolster businesses and individuals’ right to refuse service when in conflict with religious beliefs. Over the course of the last couple of weeks, the idea – which many states are considering in some form – has gained national attention.

Here are some clips from today’s perspective pieces around the web…

Arizona Governor Vetoes Controversial RFRA Amendments

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…