EDITORIAL: Off-the-rails Indiana legislative session can still be redeemed

A long and divisive debate over same-sex marriage. Repeated attempts to allow guns on school property. Alcohol at the state fair. More efforts to restrict abortion rights. A likely tax cut for business owners – at the expense of schools and local government.

Not an impressive record. There’s still time to produce meaningful legislation that will improve Hoosiers’ lives more than cursive writing instruction, but lawmakers are struggling to stay on task. Just last week, Sen. Phil Boots, R-Crawfordsville, attempted to amend a bill to allow employers to discriminate in hiring on the basis of religion – at the height of an uproar over a discriminatory measure approved by Arizona lawmakers. His amendment followed one pushed by Rep. P. Eric Turner, R-Cicero, that would have permitted charities and private universities that contract with the state to use religion-based employment guidelines. State contractors are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, disability or ancestry. House Speaker Brian Bosma wisely spiked the amendment, but not before the measure drew the attention of USA Today, the Los Angeles Times and the Advocate, the leading national publication for gays and lesbians.

The disparaging publicity certainly does nothing to promote Indiana as an open and welcoming state for potential employers or employees.