Court Challenge To RFRA Fix Set For Thursday In Hamilton County

An Indiana county court will hear a lawsuit Thursday over the so-called “fix” to the state’s controversial 2015 Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA.

Religious conservative groups are challenging the law and four local gay rights ordinances.

Meant to be a defense in court for people’s religious beliefs, RFRA was viewed by many as a license to discriminate, particularly against the LGBTQ community. After a national firestorm, lawmakers passed a “fix,” barring people from using their religious beliefs to deny service because of someone’s characteristics, such as sexual orientation or gender identity.

Religious conservative groups didn’t like that, and they sued. They want to bar LGBTQ people from their events and the fix prevents that. So, the groups are challenging both the fix and LGBTQ anti-discrimination ordinances in four Hoosier communities.

A Hamilton County judge will hear arguments in the case Thursday after years of delay.

Contact Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.