02-25-2014, 08:41 PM
Corporate tech giant Apple has asked Gov. Jan Brewer to veto the controversial religious freedom bill SB1062, the company and the Governor’s Office confirmed.
Brewer spokesman Andrew Wilder said the governor spoke on the phone with the company.
The request comes as Apple prepares to open a new sapphire glass manufacturing plant in Mesa. The plant, which Brewer and other political leaders have touted as economic development coup for Arizona, will employ about 700 full-time employees.
With its veto request, Apple joins other anti-SB1062 business groups that have asked Brewer to veto the controversial bill. The Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Technology Council, Greater Phoenix Economic Council and Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce came out against the bill the day after the Legislature passed it. The influential Arizona Chamber of Commerce, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce and Greater Phoenix Leadership have since sought a veto from Brewer as well.
The chorus of anti-SB1062 businesses kept getting louder on Monday as 83 companies, trade organizations and other business groups signed onto a letter, originally sent on Friday by the Arizona Technology Council, urging the governor to veto the bill. The additional signees included several major hotel chains, tourism groups, corporate giants like AT&T and other technology companies.
Numerous business organizations have urged Brewer to veto SB1062, which supporters say will protect religious freedom and critics say will allow companies to use religious beliefs to discriminate against the LBGT community.
http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2014/02/2...62-chorus/
Brewer spokesman Andrew Wilder said the governor spoke on the phone with the company.
The request comes as Apple prepares to open a new sapphire glass manufacturing plant in Mesa. The plant, which Brewer and other political leaders have touted as economic development coup for Arizona, will employ about 700 full-time employees.
With its veto request, Apple joins other anti-SB1062 business groups that have asked Brewer to veto the controversial bill. The Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Technology Council, Greater Phoenix Economic Council and Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce came out against the bill the day after the Legislature passed it. The influential Arizona Chamber of Commerce, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce and Greater Phoenix Leadership have since sought a veto from Brewer as well.
The chorus of anti-SB1062 businesses kept getting louder on Monday as 83 companies, trade organizations and other business groups signed onto a letter, originally sent on Friday by the Arizona Technology Council, urging the governor to veto the bill. The additional signees included several major hotel chains, tourism groups, corporate giants like AT&T and other technology companies.
Numerous business organizations have urged Brewer to veto SB1062, which supporters say will protect religious freedom and critics say will allow companies to use religious beliefs to discriminate against the LBGT community.
http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2014/02/2...62-chorus/