Mpls. Mayor Asks Fire Dept. To Cancel Indiana Travel Plans
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The Minneapolis Fire Department has canceled their plans to travel to Indiana for a conference at the request of Mayor Betsy Hodges.
Minneapolis' mayor asked the fire department to not attend the conference as a response to Indiana's recent adoption of the religious freedom restoration act.
Indiana's religious freedom bill was drafted to keep state and local government from infringing on a business owners' religious beliefs through other legislation, but some fear that it will allow businesses to deny service to gay and lesbian customers.
"Minneapolis is a welcoming, inclusive city that respects and values the contributions and the safety of everyone who lives, works, and visits here, and the City of Minneapolis as an employer respects and values the same in our employees," Hodges said in a recent press release. "I cannot in good conscience support any official travel to Indiana in light of its enacting a law that makes discrimination legal, particularly against LGBT people."
Hodges has also asked the Minneapolis City Council to pass policy disallowing the use of city funds for travel to Indiana.