The Arkansas House . of Representatives on Tuesday passed a religious freedom bill . similar to one recently approved in Indiana , landing the contentious issue on Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson 's desk . Hutchinson has said he 'll sign the measure , even though he 's facing protests from activists who say it could open the door to discrimination against . gays and lesbians . Like Indiana 's new law , the Arkansas measure aims to keep the state government from forcing . business owners to act against their religious beliefs , but . critics say it will be a 'license to discriminate ' by refusing service to . gays and lesbians . Concerns about wedding vendors who have religious objections to playing a part in same-sex ceremonies have driven most of the controversy . SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . HOOSIER 2.0 : Arkansas will take the religious-liberty-firestorm baton from Indiana as soon as Gov . Asa Hutchinson signs his state 's new law . Gov . Hutchinson , a former U.S. congressman who earned his college degree from the evangelical Bob Jones University , says he 'll sign the bill . 'This legislation does n't allow anybody to discriminate against anybody , not here , ' Republican state Rep. Bob Ballinger told The Washington Post on Tuesday . 'The bill does just the opposite . ' SURRENDER : Indiana Gov . Mike Pence walked back his state 's new religious freedom law on Tuesday , saying he would work with lawmakers to 'fix ' it . Ballinger , an attorney in private practice , sponsored the bill . He said the legislation 'focuses on the civil rights of people believing what they want to believe , and not letting the government interfere with that . ' But he said he agrees with Indiana Gov . Mike Pence , who has been fighting a tide of resentment after he signed a similar bill into law , that 'there needs to be some clarity in the perception of the legislation . ' 'As it sits right now , ' he told the Post , his bill is 'not going to enable a person to discriminate . ' Final approval came when the Arkansas House overwhelmingly . concurred with three amendments added by the Senate , which . approved the bill last week . Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola has asked Hutchinson to veto . the bill , saying in a letter on Tuesday the legislation is . unnecessary and could hurt the state 's economy . 'Any piece of legislation that is so divisive cannotpossibly be good for the state of Arkansas and its people . Withthese kind of `` wedge '' issues , ' no one is a winner on either side , ' he said . Supporters said the law does not allow for discrimination . and is needed to protect religious freedoms . The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce said it is 'bad . for business and bad for Arkansas . ' Democrats said it will allow . for bigotry . 'Our history will tell us that when religion is used as a. sword it is often used to attack people of color and women , ' said Representative Eddie Armstrong , an African-American and . Democratic floor leader . Arkansas-based retail giant Wal-Mart Stores said the bill sends the 'wrong message ' about its home state . The outcry over the Indiana law was so fierce that the . state 's governor , Republican Mike Pence , on Tuesday said he . would 'fix ' the legislation to make it clear businesses . can not use it to discriminate against same-sex couples . Earlier in March , a Senate-approved religious freedom bill in Georgia was put . on hold after a House member added anti-discrimination language . On Monday , North Carolina 's governor said he would not sign similar language into law because it would allow government . officials to refuse to perform marriages on religious grounds . If enacted , the Arkansas proposal would prohibit state and local governments from infringing on a person 's religious beliefs without a 'compelling ' reason . But unlike in Indiana , Arkansas lawmakers said they will not modify their measure . SPONSOR : Arkansas GOP state Rep. Bob Ballinger watched the votes come in to support an amended versio nof his religious freedom bill in the state legislature on Tuesday ; he says the measure is n't discriminatory . VETO ! Hundreds of protesters yelled their demand that the governor turn away the Religious Freedom Restoration Act , but Christians in the state House and Senate prevailed and the governor will enact the law . Over the past two days , hundreds of protesters filled Arkansas ' Capitol to oppose the measure , holding signs that read 'Discrimination is not a Christian Value ' and 'Discrimination is a Disease , ' and chanting 'Shame on You ' at Ballinger . Sexual orientation and gender identity are not included in Arkansas ' anti-discrimination protections . Last month , Hutchinson allowed a measure to go into law that prevented local governments from including such protections in their anti-discrimination ordinances . This time he intends to affix his signature and make it the law of the Razorback State . ' I have said if this bill reaches my desk in similar form as to what has been passed in 20 other states then I will sign it , ' the governor said Monday . 'But I am pleased that the legislature is continuing to look at ways to assure balance and fairness in the legislation . '
Arkansas Gov . Asa Hutchinson says he 'll enact the new setting his state up to be the next target of protests and business boycotts . Wal-Mart is against the measure , which critics say creates a license to discriminate against gays and lesbians through the fig-leaf of religion . Christian who run wedding-related businesses had complained of being forced under threat of lawsuits to sell services to same-sex couples . Sexual orientation and gender identity are not included in Arkansas ' anti-discrimination protections .