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SAN FRANCISCO, March 27 (UPI) -- San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee on Thursday banned all publicly funded city employee travel to Indiana after the governor there signed a law allowing businesses to turn away gay and lesbian customers. The legislation, signed into law Thursday by Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, allows businesses to refuse service to customers based on their religious beliefs.
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A statement from the mayor's office said Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act legalizes discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
"We stand united as San Franciscans to condemn Indiana's new discriminatory law, and will work together to protect the civil rights of all Americans including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals," Lee said in the statement.
"Effective immediately, I am directing city departments under my authority to bar any publicly funded city employee travel to the state of Indiana that is not absolutely essential to public health and safety. San Francisco taxpayers will not subsidize legally sanctioned discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people by the state of Indiana."
While San Francisco may be the first municipality to officially ban city employee travel to Indiana, it joins other entities that expressed concern over the law or have decided to boycott the state.
Tech firm Salesforce.com founder and CEO Marc Benioff announced on Twitter the company is canceling all programs requiring customers and employees to be sent to the state. Gaming convention Gen Con threatened to pull out of holding its event in the state should the legislation be signed, but ultimately decided to remain based in Indianapolis.
"It is clear that the Indianapolis business community is not in favor of the state's legislation," a letter from Gen Con organizers to attendees read. "We have received hundreds of messages from industry members and Indianapolis companies doubling down on their support to welcome all Gen Con attendees."
