Governor Jan Brewer has returned to Arizona, facing rising pressure on many fronts over a bill on her desk that has prompted a national debate over religious and gay rights, according to the Associated Press.
The bill was passed last week by the state's Legislature and would allow businesses to deny service to gay people based on the religious beliefs of the business owner, the AP reported.
The legislation has caused an uproar, with the chorus of opposition growing each day, according to the AP. Former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney was the latest prominent voice to weigh in and urge Brewer to veto the bill.
Brewer, who had been in Washington for a governor's conference, posted a message on Twitter pledging to "do the right thing for the State of Arizona," the AP reported.
Brewer will likely spend the next day or more pondering Senate Bill 1062 before deciding whether to sign or veto the legislation, according to the AP. If she doesn't reach a decision by the end of Saturday, it will automatically become law.
There is widespread speculation that Brewer will veto the bill, but she has not said how she'll act, as is her longtime practice with pending legislation, according to the AP.
The bill was pushed by the Center for Arizona Policy, a social conservative group that opposes abortion and gay marriage, the AP reported. The group says the proposal simply clarifies existing state law and is needed to protect against increasingly activist federal courts.
Silvana Salcido Esparza owns Barrio Café, a restaurant in Phoenix and is also gay, so she feels compelled to speak out against the bill, according to the AP. Esparza plans on welcoming anyone into her restaurant, regardless of sexual orientation.
"We're moving forward. Let's not move backward. I have a right just like everybody else ... and this is just wrong. What message are we sending?" she told KNXV, the AP reported.
The bill could have deep impacts for the state. Major companies have criticized the legislation, including Marriott Hotels, Apple, American Airlines and Yelp, according to the AP. Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman wrote an open letter to Brewer.
"Protecting the consumer has been - and will continue to be - our main priority. I believe that every consumer has a right to be served by a business without fear of discrimination," Stoppelman wrote, the AP reported.
The NFL is also watching the decision closely, as next year's Super Bowl is set to be played in Arizona, according to the AP. The Arizona Cardinals, the NFL and the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee all issued statements voicing disagreement with the bill.
"A key part of the mission for the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee is to promote the economic vitality of Arizona," the committee wrote in a statement, the AP reported. "On that matter we have heard loud and clear from our various stakeholders that adoption of this legislation would not only run contrary to that goal but deal a significant blow to the state's economic growth potential."
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