Indiana guv: Law needs work

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana Gov. Mike Pence asked lawmakers yesterday to send him a clarification of the state's new religious-freedom law later this week, while Arkansas legislators passed a similar measure, despite criticism that it is a thinly disguised attempt to permit discrimination against gays.

The Arkansas proposal now goes to Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who has said he will sign it.

Pence defended the Indiana law as a vehicle to protect religious liberty but said he has been meeting with lawmakers "around the clock" to address concerns that it would allow businesses to deny services to gay customers.

The governor said he does not believe "for a minute" that lawmakers intended "to create a license to discriminate."

"It certainly wasn't my intent," said Pence, who signed the law last week.

- Associated Press