Gov . Mike Pence seemed to blink Tuesday in the face of withering pressure after he signed a 'Religious Feredom Restoration Act ' bill into law . The legislation allows businesses and religious organizations that oppose gay marriage or abortion to deny services, hire workers who don't support those beliefs, refuse service based on religion, discriminate against LGBT people, etc. White House says it 'flies in the face of the kinds of values that people all across the country strongly support ' & put Pence in 'damage-control mode ' Connecticut 's governor accused Indiana of 'outright bigotry ' and blocked state-funded travel to the state . Pence insisted that the law only gives businesses a legal basis to defend themselves on religious grounds if they 're sued . It does n't , he said , make it legal to violate anti-discrimination statutes . That distinction has been lost on everyone from the NCAA to NASCAR , with most opponents ignoring 19 other states with similar laws .
Gov . Mike Pence seemed to blink Tuesday in the face of withering pressure after he signed a 'Religious Feredom Restoration Act ' bill into law . Gay-rights activists complained bitterly that the law was a license for wedding vendors and other businesses to discriminate . White House says it 'flies in the face of the kinds of values that people all across the country strongly support ' & put Pence in 'damage-control mode ' Connecticut 's governor accused Indiana of 'outright bigotry ' and blocked state-funded travel to the state . Pence insisted that the law only gives businesses a legal basis to defend themselves on religious grounds if they 're sued . It does n't , he said , make it legal to violate anti-discrimination statutes . That distinction has been lost on everyone from the NCAA to NASCAR , with most opponents ignoring 19 other states with similar laws .