From the states (and territories): Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico

By John Mack Freeman

Indiana is one vote away from approving a “religious freedom” bill that would allow businesses to refuse service to GLBT individuals. In response, a coalition of businesses has begun a grassroots campaign to show that they will not discriminate against anyone. Open For Service provides stickers and a listing for Indiana businesses that refuse to discriminate against anyone who comes to their business.

In an attempt to medal in this year’s bigotry Olympics, HB 1338 and 1339 would force the state of Missouri to divide all non-gendered restrooms into gendered spaces and it would disallow the use of state funds to build non-gendered restrooms unless compelled by a court order. Missouri state representative Jeff Pogue is responsible for the bills.

An Oklahoma bill that we reported on last week has stalled after Democratic state Representative Emily Virgin attached an amendment that would require businesses that wanted to discriminate for “religious freedom” to clearly post a sign to that effect within their businesses. The bill is believed to be dead for this session of the Oklahoma legislature.

The territory of Puerto Rico has dropped its defense of its ban on same sex marriage. The law is currently under review of the First Circuit Court of Appeals based in Boston.

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