An editorial from The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — When Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed the state’s religious objections law last year, the state was hit with a firestorm of negative publicity.
The 2015 NCAA Final Four in Indianapolis was threatened with cancellations, and legislators quickly worked to rewrite the bill. But even with those modifications, a recent tourism study estimates that the state has lost $60 million in hotel profits, tax revenue and other economic benefits since the law was passed. The Visit Indy group concluded that 12 different organizations had decided not to host conventions in Indianapolis since the law was passed.
While the legislation was passed to bolster the rights of individuals to practice their religion, critics argued that it sanctioned discrimination against gay people, women and others on religious grounds.