San Francisco mayor bans publicly-funded travel to IN over new law

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (WISH) – New fallout from Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act is coming from around the country.

The mayor of San Francisco has now banned city employees to travel to Indiana for anything work-related, The Examiner reports.

In a statement, Mayor Ed Lee says in part, “We stand united as San Franciscans to condemn Indiana’s new discriminatory law, and will work together to protect the civil rights of all Americans including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.”

Governor Mike Pence signed the bill Thursday in a private ceremony. He blamed the media for the way the bill has been portrayed.

Pence pointed out that 19 other states have a similar religious freedom laws, including Illinois. The new law takes effect in Indiana on July 1.

State Senator Dennis Kruse (R-Auburn) co-authored the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, written to protect those who make decisions based on religious beliefs. He said he’s pleased Gov. Pence signed it into law, but said he’s disappointed in the negative public backlash.

Mayor Lee’s full statement is below:

We stand united as San Franciscans to condemn Indiana’s new discriminatory law, and will work together to protect the civil rights of all Americans including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.

Effective immediately, I am directing City Departments under my authority to bar any publicly-funded City employee travel to the State of Indiana that is not absolutely essential to public health and safety. San Francisco taxpayers will not subsidize legally-sanctioned discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people by the State of Indiana.