Daily News Recap (3-31-15)

Compiled by Holly Henrichsen
Assistant Web Content Manager

Indiana Governor Mike Pence has pledged to “fix” Indiana’s controversial “religious freedom” law to clarify that it does not condone discrimination against gays and lesbians. Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which takes effect July first, would prohibit laws that “substantially burden” a person’s freedom of religion unless the government can prove a compelling interest in imposing that burden. There has been sharp criticism of the law from gay and LGBT groups along with some corporations. Pence says that there was never any intention in this law to create a license to discriminate and he wants a bill on his desk by the end of the week making it clear the law does not allow businesses the right to deny services to anyone.
-Brittany Green

Another announcement of a presidential bid could be just around the corner. CNN reports that Republican Senator Marco Rubio stated yesterday in an interview with Fox News “The Five” that he plans to make a big announcement on April 13th. While Rubio has not publicly confirmed plans to run for president, he has been making preparations for a campaign including — traveling to early primary states and reaching out to donors to gauge support for a bid. Other president hopefuls including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul are also expected to announce their platforms in April.
–Sarah Duran

Texas State University was recognized as one the top schools for being the “Best Bang for your Buck”. The University News Service announced that the Washington Monthly ranked the university 30th among a list of 300 schools nationwide for its value. Rankings were determined after considering graduation rates – financial aid availability – student loan default rate and the quality of students measured by ACT and SAT performance of public and private universities. Texas State along with Texas A&M were the only Texas schools featured among the top 50.
-Sarah Duran

Greater Bethel Baptist Church and the San Marcos Police Department will be hosting a town meeting tomorrow called A Look at Race, Law Enforcement and Equality in San Marcos part two. The meeting will discuss police protocols, community concerns and other topics to create a safe community. There will also be a panel discussion with members of clergy, law enforcement and community leaders followed by a question and answer session. The meeting will begin at 7 pm at Greater Bethel Baptist Church on centre street.
-Jacquelyn Carter