The Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) criticized Indiana Gov. Mike Pence for what it called his failure to clearly call for fully inclusive non-discrimination protections for LGBT residents and visitors in his State of the State address.

"To no one's surprise, yet again Governor Mike Pence has failed Indiana and all Hoosiers," said JoDee Winterhof, HRC senior vice president for policy and political affairs. "The state is in urgent need of leadership by the Governor to undo the damage from last year's debacle [during which Pence signed state's new Religious Freedom Restoration Act and subsequent legislation], and Pence is clearly unwilling or incapable of doing the job."

However, HRC was not the only organization criticizing Pence's statement. Freedom Indiana Campaign Manager Chris Paulsen issued a separate statement saying, "This is a complete letdown. In his speech tonight, after 10 months of allegedly listening to Hoosiers, Governor Pence chose to punt the critical issue of civil rights protections for gay and transgender people to Indiana lawmakers. We are disappointed in his lack of leadership on an update that we know a majority of people in our state support."

In addition, Matt McTighe, executive director of Freedom for All Americans, said, in part, "Equality under the law is one of the most important rights we as Americans are afforded. We will continue our work to ensure that Hoosiers from all walks of life are protected from discrimination, and

once again show what Hoosier hospitality is all about."