Opposing religion-bill ralliers gather at Capitol

Rep. Bob Ballinger, a lead sponsor of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, waits for the Religious Freedom Rally to start on the state Capitol steps Thursday.
Rep. Bob Ballinger, a lead sponsor of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, waits for the Religious Freedom Rally to start on the state Capitol steps Thursday.

Protesters gathered at the Arkansas Capitol on Thursday as legislators worked on an alternate to House Bill 1228 that more closely mirrors the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday told lawmakers to rework the bill on his desk, which held as its aim expanding religious freedoms but that critics said encouraged discrimination.

Roger Hiatt, a conservative Little Rock resident, said he organized the Religious Freedom Rally when he heard that Hutchinson wasn't going to sign HB1228.

Several legislators joined the rally to listen to speakers like former state legislator Dan Greenberg and radio personality Dave Elswick talk about the need for a Religious Freedom Restoration Act in Arkansas.

"Why is it that this was an uncontroversial law when it was passed by a Democratic congress and President [Bill] Clinton back about two decades ago," Greenberg asked the crowd. "If we're actually going to take protecting religious freedom seriously, we might want to think about making sure that it protects Christians and Jews."

Human Rights Campaign of Arkansas organized opponents of the legislation at the Capitol earlier Thursday to maintain a presence there during Hiatt's rally.

Relations tensed between the groups when a man for HB1228 stood in front of opponents of a state religious freedom act who held up signs in front of conservative rally speakers.

Elswick and religious bill opponents yelled back and forth, then Elswick asked protesters if they knew about Democratic Rep. Greg Leding's proposed bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the state's civil rights act.

"Do you know about HB1950?" Elswick asked. "It's a bill that would give protection to the homosexual lifestyle and to gender identity. It was there — it was there to be put before committee and it was never put before committee."

Leding's bill was filed March 9 and was on the House Judicial Committee agenda for Thursday as a deferred bill.

Protesters with the Human Rights Campaign of Arkansas moved inside the Capitol right before the House convened in session to line the stairs up to the chamber.

The House Judiciary Committee passed one of two alternate bills Thursday morning, Senate Bill 975, and that bill is listed on the House's calendar to be considered the same day.

Reader poll

Do you agree with HB1228, Arkansas' Religious Freedom Restoration Act?

  • Yes; it's an important protection for those who wish to exercise sincerely held religious beliefs. 19%
  • No; it will allow businesses to discriminate against members of the LGBT community. 72%
  • No, but it can be remedied with language saying the legislation specifically has no discriminatory intent. 7%
  • I have no position. 1%
  • Other (please comment) 1%

8161 total votes.

photo

Former Arkansas legislator Dan Greenberg speaks at a Religious Freedom Rally at the state Capitol on Thursday in support of a state Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

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