LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says he doesn't see an urgent need for an executive order extending anti-discrimination workplace protections to gay state employees after lawmakers approved a reworked religious objections bill.
Hutchinson told reporters Thursday that he had considered such an order as an alternative in case lawmakers didn't agree to his request to revise the religion bill after it faced widespread criticism that it was anti-gay. The Republican governor last week signed the compromise measure, which supporters say addresses discrimination concerns by more closely mirroring a 1993 federal law.
Gay rights advocates on called on Hutchinson to follow through and issue an executive order.
Reader poll
Are you satisfied with Arkansas' amended religious-protection law?
- Yes; it protects everyone sufficiently.
- No; it still needs a nondiscrimination clause.
- No; a state religious-protection law isn't necessary.
- This bill was unnecessary because House Bill 1228 was preferable.
- Other (please comment)
1150 total votes.