Indiana Senate will not vote on bill to protect gay rights

Indianapolis (AP) — The Indiana Senate leader says efforts to add protections for sexual orientation to state anti-discrimination laws are effectively dead this legislative session.

Republican Senate President Pro Tem David Long says he and others had tried to find a fair solution on the issue before its sponsor decided Tuesday to withdraw his proposal.

The sponsor of the Indiana Senate's bill to extend anti-discrimination protections to lesbian, gay and bisexual people is pulling the proposal from consideration, dealing a serious blow to efforts to pass legislation this year.

Republican Sen. Travis Holman said Tuesday he was disappointed but realized there wasn't enough support for the bill to win approval.

The measure that cleared a Senate committee last week was criticized by Democrats and LGBT rights activists for not including transgender people. It also faced opposition from religious conservatives who believed it still required services for same-sex marriages even if they had religious objections.

Long says GOP senators had tried to balance civil rights and religious liberty protections but "took a beating from all sides."

Long says out-of-state groups hampered the chances of reaching agreement with "well-organized extreme messaging" from groups on both sides.

Indiana faced a national backlash last year after the Legislature passed a religious objections law that critics said allowed discrimination against gay and lesbian people. The law was later revised.

By Brian Slodysko, Associated Press. Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Gayly – February 2, 2016 @ 3:30 p.m.