FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PHOENIX – Arizona governor Jan Brewer today vetoed a controversial law that would have opened the door for discrimination against any group based on religious objections. In particular, SB 1062 would have allowed businesses and service providers to refuse to serve LGBT people.
“Discrimination has no place in Arizona, or anywhere else,” said Alessandra Soler, executive director of the ACLU of Arizona. “We’re grateful that the governor has stopped this disgraceful law from taking effect, and that Arizona will remain open for business to everyone.”
The Arizona bill was passed last week following the defeat of similar bills in Maine, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Idaho.
“We strongly support the right of every person to exercise their religious beliefs, but religious freedom doesn’t give any of us the right to harm others,” said Eunice Rho, advocacy and policy counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union. “The massive public opposition to this, as well as several other failed bills across the country, shows that Americans of all political persuasions and religions feel the same way.”
Click here for the ACLU of Arizona's fact sheet on SB 1062.
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