A bill in Louisiana that mirrors religious protection laws in Indiana and Arkansas that have spurred gay rights protests in those states is putting some in Louisiana’s burgeoning film industry on edge, the International Business Times reports.
“For those of us in the creative industries … this bill creates a significant challenge,” says Lampton Enochs, CEO of Shreveport-based film animation company Moonbot Studios. “We’re competing with companies in L.A., San Francisco and New York. I think a bill like this would make it difficult to recruit out-of-state talent.”
The bill, titled the “Louisiana Marriage and Conscience Act,” would give private business owners more power in asserting their marriage beliefs in dealing with clients—something many have interpreted as meaning they can use religious convictions as an excuse to deny serving gays and lesbians. While the final version of the bill, introduced last week by Republican state Rep. Mike Johnson, could look a lot different by the time it goes to committee, many expect it will find broad support.
Gay rights groups are mobilizing to make sure lawmakers know that not every Louisianan supports the marriage act, says Bruce Parker, executive director of Louisiana Progress. The liberal organization is compiling a list of businesses, tourism bureaus and chambers of commerce that are coming out against the bill. They hope to make the list public later this week.
