In March 2015, Pence <a href=”https://www.huffpost.com/entry/indiana-governor-mike-pence-anti-gay-bill_n_6947472″>signed Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act</a> (or RFRA) into law, effectively legalizing discrimination against LGBT people across the state. The bill, which Vox called “<a href=”http://www.vox.com/2016/7/14/12189750/mike-pence-trump-vp-lgbtq”>one of the biggest political crises</a>” of Pence’s career, allowed business owners to <a href=”https://www.huffpost.com/entry/indiana-pizza-gay-couples_n_6985208″>cite their religious beliefs</a> as justification for turning away LGBT customers. <br> <br>The bill’s passage sparked <a href=”http://theslot.jezebel.com/get-to-know-mike-pence-and-all-of-the-very-bad-legislat-1783733309″>national controversy</a>, and in the end, was reported to have set the state back <a href=”https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/lgbt/news/2015/03/31/110232/indianas-religious-freedom-restoration-act-is-bad-for-business/”>$250 million</a>. In April 2015, Pence signed <a href=”https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-pence-religious-freedom_n_6996144″>a revised version of the bill </a>into law that included language that <a href=”http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2015/03/31/gov-mike-pence-hold-news-conference-clarify-religious-freedom-law/70712968/” target=”_blank”>explicitly barred businesses</a> from denying services to customers on the basis of categories that include sexual orientation and gender identity. Many LGBT rights advocates <a href=”https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-pence-things-to-know_n_5787c2b1e4b0867123e02df7″>remained critical </a>of the revisions, saying that Indiana should have repealed the measure altogether.
CHRIS KEANE / Reuters
