Governor Bill Haslam is defending his signing of a new law that stops Metro government from extending protections to persons based on sexual identification.
The governor says his administration doesn’t believe in discrimination.
“We encourage businesses to put that into their policies themselves. And I think if you look at most of the businesses they have those policies in place.”
When asked what the policy is at the family business where he was the president, Pilot Corp., Haslam said he didn’t know.
“You known, somebody asked me that earlier. I don’t know the answer to the questions. Somebody asked me about an hour ago. We’ll check and find out. I don’t, I don’t know the answer.”
Earlier this week, several businesses mounted a campaign to have Haslam veto the bill. He signed it without fanfare on Monday..
The bill’s sponsors claim they wanted to stop local governments from enacting a confusing variety of anti-discrimination clauses that would differ from city to city.
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Haslam says Tennessee businesses aren’t known for discriminating against anyone.
“If you look at Tennessee and the businesses, the businesses of this state are known for being open and welcoming, and that’s one of the things we’re working on doing as a state.”
The bill the governor signed is HB 600 Casada/SB 632 Beavers
Haslam says it seemed late for the businesses to get involved, given the backing the bill had in the state legislature.
“Again this is something, that remember, it passed with 70 percent majorities in both houses.”
In the House the bill passed with 70 votes of 99 members, making the governor right. In the Senate it got 20 votes of 33, which by reporter math is only a 61 percent majority.
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