Arizona Governor Jan Brewer Urged to Block Anti-Gay Bill as Debate Swirls

02-27-2014 • http://www.lewrockwell.com, By Ed Pilkington

Jan Brewer, the governor of Arizona, returns to Phoenix from Washington on Tuesday and flies straight into a political storm over a new state bill that allows local businesses to refuse to serve gay people on grounds of religious freedom.

Brewer has until end of play on Saturday to decide whether or not to veto SB 1062, which has cleared the legislature under the title “exercise of religion” and is awaiting the governor’s signature.

Though it does not mention same-sex marriage or relationships directly, it is clearly targeted at gay people, giving businesses immunity from discrimination lawsuits should they chose to deny service to customers in accordance with their religious beliefs.

Prominent Republicans, businesses groups in Arizona and even some religious leaders have called on the governor to block the bill. The signs were on Tuesday that she would accede to the pressure.