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Arkansas Governor: My Son Asked Me To Veto 'Religious Freedom' Bill
WASHINGTON — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) pulled back his support for a “religious freedom” bill Wednesday, citing the controversy and division it has created not only within his state, but also within his own family.
“The issue has become divisive because our nation remains split on how to balance the diversity of our culture with the traditions and firmly held religious convictions,” Hutchison said in a press conference Wednesday morning. “It has divided families, and there is clearly a generational gap on this issue.”
“My son Seth signed the petition asking me, Dad, the governor, to veto this bill,” he added. “And he gave me permission to make that reference, and it shows that families — and there’s a generational difference of opinion on these issues.”
Seth Hutchinson is a labor organizer with the Texas State Employees Union. He was not immediately available for comment.
The governor’s move is a significant shift: Hutchinson had previously said he would sign the bill, which was approved by the Arkansas state legislature earlier this week.
But since then, Walmart, which is the world’s largest retailer and is headquartered in Arkansas, asked Hutchison to veto the legislation. And the governor was no doubt watching what was going on in Indiana, where Gov. Mike Pence (R) has been facing a wave of national backlash — including a slew of companies and groups canceling events in the state — since he signed his state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act last week.
Hutchison said Wednesday he wants state lawmakers to rewrite Arkansas’ bill to make it more consistent with the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which has a narrower scope.
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