RFRA still weighs on mind of Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann

Like many other Republicans, Ellspermann said perception and a discourse that went viral on social media ultimately and unnecessarily sullied Indiana’s reputation over passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and a fix that guaranteed that the law would not allow discrimination against gays.

“Looking back now, it’s easy to be the Monday morning quarterback and say, ‘Well, I can understand how someone could misinterpret’ and say, ‘it’s going to do that.’ There was no precedent that the courts had ever discriminated on the basis of RFRA. It had to be us, No. 1 clarifying, with Senate Bill 50, clarifying the language and now moving forward and say ‘People, we’ll watch it. It hasn’t done that in 20 years, it’s not going to do that,’” Ellspermann said.

The action taken April 2 and signed into law that same day by Pence could lead to discussion of expanding civil rights protection for the LGBT community.

“I think you heard clearly throughout this time from both those on the Republican side as well as the Democrat side that Hoosiers don’t discriminate,” Ellspermann said. “I think that’s probably the resounding message. So if that leads us to a conversation about protected class, then I think that’s what you heard from the General Assembly, no one’s saying what the outcome will be, but that we may need to have that conversation. And Hoosiers are very strong that we want to protect our religious freedom, but we also don’t discriminate.

“I think that what I took away from this last two weeks is really that we are a state where we want to respect those First Amendment rights of freedom of religion.”

On the day before former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was expected to make a big splash with her announcement of a run for president today, Ellspermann kept the doors open for 2020 or sooner when it comes to her future aspirations, particularly if she would run for governor someday.

“Remember, as lieutenant governor, it could happen any day. I always pray for my governor, but you’re always the backup quarterback, that’s what a fourth-grader told me,” Ellspermann said. “You’re always ready to go in.”

It is expected that Pence will run for a second term come 2016 with Ellspermann on the ticket. What the future holds beyond next year’s elections remains to be seen, Ellspermann said, but she hopes her presence in the No. 2 position in Indiana government will lead to more women seeking elected office.

“I see myself as the biggest champion of women running because we have to have a strong bench of women,” she said,

Pressed abot 2020, Ellspermann was noncommittal.

“I really look it at as, every year, I look to get a better understanding, not just understanding, but expertise, vision, for Indiana and then to say, ‘How do I make the biggest difference?’ I feel confident that I’m in the place that God wants me right now, and 2020 is a long way away,” she said. “I will always look to serve where I am making the greatest difference.”

No matter what she does, Ellspermann said, ultimately it would be good for Indiana and the country to bring some sort of civility back to governance.

Besides the budget, which has been passed in differing versions by the House and Senate, education issues still are holding sway at the Statehouse, she said.

Still yet to complete the cycle is Senate Bill 1, which would allow the Indiana State Board of Education to elect its own leader rather than have that role automatically go to the superintendent of public instruction, who currently is Democrat Glenda Ritz.

With Republican supermajorities in both the House and Senate, passage of the bill is almost guaranteed. Ellspermann said the measure would put the State Board of Education’s structure in line with many other boards and would not diminish Ritz’s role.

“She absolutely is a critical voice on that board. And that board may very well select her to lead them. And that will probably happen most of the time,” Ellspermann said. “It’s really intended to open the gates to move forward, to work together.”

Ellspermann said she would like see more teachers run for office and serve in the Legislature.

“We need more people of (their) perspective,” she said.

While in Steuben County, Ellspermann toured the new Trine State Recreation Area next to Pokagon State Park on Friday. She attended a Steuben County Republican function Saturday morning, then went to Trine University to observe the annual Innovation Challenge awards and expo.