SB 66, the Indiana RFRA bill, is essentially dead. Senate Judiciary Committee chair Senator Brent Steele allowed the bill sponsor, Senator Michael Young, to present his bill but did not allow testimony or a vote, explaining that this is not the year to take on another RFRA bill. Since the committee's deadline is tomorrow, this likely means we defeated SB 66 for the year.
Of course, Twitter erupted in celebration:
#RFRA #SB66 will not advance and is most likely dead for the session! #inleg
— Protect Thy Neighbor (@protectneighbor) January 27, 2016We did it: #SB66 will NOT advance today—and is almost certainly dead for this legislative session! #INLegis #lgbt pic.twitter.com/fHuGNWGznz
— Freedom Indiana (@freedom_indiana) January 27, 2016BREAKING: Super #RFRA #SB66 will NOT advance today—and is likely dead for this legislative session. #INLegis pic.twitter.com/XqP7hVjhYH
— Indiana Competes (@INCompetes) January 27, 2016We're so pleased to see sanity reigning in Indiana.