Arkansas Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Wednesday that he won't sign a religious freedom bill that his state's legislature sent to him on Tuesday, citing influence from his politically liberal son. He is sending it back to lawmakers, he told reporters, for amendments that will bring it more in line with the 1993 federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act – which critics say better protected the rights of gays and lesbians. Hutchinson said during his press conference that his son had in part convinced him not to sign the bill into law. 'My son Seth, signed the petition asking me, Dad, the governor, to veto this bill,' Hutchinson said. 'And he gave me permission to make that reference, and it shows that ... there's a generational difference of opinion on these issues.''My son Seth, signed the petition asking me, Dad, the governor, to veto this bill,' Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson said WednesdaySeth told Daily Mail Online that 'I love and respect my father very much, but sometimes we have political disagreements'He's sending the 'Religious Freedom Restoration Act' back to the state legislature because it strays too far from the federal law that inspired itHutchinson doesn't risk a veto-override from lawmakers since he hasn't technically vetoed the bill'This is a bill that in ordinary times would not be controversial, but these are not ordinary times,' he said
The governor has one other option: He said he's considering issuing an executive order to clarify that '_ wants to be a place of tolerance.'