As opposition to a new Religious Freedom Restoration Act appeared to grow, N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore Tuesday signaled that lawmakers will take a hard look at its potential fallout.
Moore called an unusual, impromptu news conference in his office to say the House will be deliberate as it considers the bill.
He said while the bill is important to a number of House Republicans, the session’s primary goals are job creation and improving roads and education. He said he wants to find out how the religious freedom legislation accomplishes those objectives and what it does to improve North Carolina’s “brand.”
“I think we need to show that if we approve this bill, that it will improve North Carolina’s brand,” he said. “Anything we do, we have to make sure we don’t harm our brand.”
...Moore noted that Indiana is feeling repercussions from passage of its religious freedom law. He’s met with business leaders, and North Carolina’s bill has come up.
Meanwhile, a coalition of N.C. business groups is forming to fight the religious freedom bills.
Compete North Carolina describes itself as “a coalition of like-minded businesses united against discrimination and the harmful effect it has on our economy.”
Lobbyist Theresa Kostrzewa handed out fliers touting Republican opposition to similar bills in other states. It said the bills could expose employers to litigation from employees who claim their religious beliefs allow them to violate labor laws or corporate nondiscrimination policies.
Critics of the N.C. proposals include Republican Gov. Pat McCrory. On Monday, McCrory told a Charlotte radio talk show audience that the bill “makes no sense.”
“What is the problem they’re trying to solve?” he said on WFAE-FM. “I haven’t seen it at this point in time.”
...GOP Rep. Charles Jeter of Huntersville said the N.C. proposal differs from the federal law in another respect.
“The difference is how it’s intended to be applied,” Jeter said. “And while some people may not like it, society grows over time. I think this (proposal) is specific to the homosexual issues, the same-sex issues, the gender issues.”
Jeter said existing laws already protect religious freedom.
Moore said though some members wanted a committee meeting on the bill this week, “That’s not going to happen.”
“This is worthy of discussion,” he said. “It’s going to take some time.”
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*aka, the man who bought the North Carolina legislature for the Republicans.
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