NY governor on RFRA: We ‘will continue to be a leader of LGBT equality’

ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVB/WISH) – Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo is banning non-essential state travel to Indiana following the signing of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Gov. Cuomo said to media he fears the criticism over the bill calls for the immediate action.

“Today, I direct all agencies, departments, boards and commissions to immediately review all requests for state funded or state sponsored travel to the State of Indiana and to bar any such publicly funded travel that is not essential to the enforcement of state law or public health and safety. The ban on publicly funded travel shall take effect immediately,” the governor said in a statement. “New York State has been, and will continue to be, a leader in ensuring that all LGBT persons enjoy full and equal civil rights. With this action, we stand by our LBGT family members, friends and colleagues to ensure that their rights are respected.”

The new law has been widely criticized after Gov. Mike Pence singed it into law last week. Several corporate businesses in Indianapolis sent a letter to leaders warning them of the fall out many companies will face because of the law.

Conferences such as Gen Con and AFSCME have voiced their concerns about the law. AFSCME has decided to pull their October conference out of Indianapolis.

Critics of the new law fear it could permit discrimination against gays and lesbians. However, during a Tuesday press conference Pence vowed to fix the law to make it clear that citizens knew that RFRA was about religious liberty and not about discrimination.

Democratic leaders responded to Pence saying he is not seeing the mistake made on the law. And the governor nees to fix the damage that he had done to the Hoosier state.