Arizona has been making national headlines for the controversy over the most recent bill that was passed, SB 1062. This article is not designed to sway opinions or suggest stances; it is only to inform aspects and effects of the bill that people may not be aware of. The actual purpose of the bill was to create an amendment to a law that gave individuals or legal entities the right to be exempt from state laws if they have legitimate reasons for doing so.

People are taking the laws to the extremes on both sides. There are those who believe that it means prosecution against homosexuals, and those who believe that it is the freedom to exercise religion. Either way, the nation sat back and watched as the bill passed through Arizona’s Senate and House of Representatives and eventually made its way to the desk of Governor Jan Brewer. The stakes were high as Brewer came to the decision to veto the bill on Feb. 26.

Now that the bill has been vetoed, some people believe that the controversy should cease to exist, yet it has become almost the opposite. Even without the change to the law, the nation saw that Arizona almost passed it, and people are reacting to it. Major corporations such as Apple, AT&T, and American Airlines joined together to say that they were not supportive of the law. Business with companies like these most definitely would have suffered if Brewer had decided to pass the bill.

The Superbowl is to be hosted in Arizona, and news of the bill worried people around the nation so much that some suggested that the location of the popular event be located elsewhere. It did not take a passing of the bill to get people to be suddenly interested in the state of Arizona.

No matter the side someone takes on issues like SB 1062, it is important to recognize the effects that come from bringing up such controversial matters. In this case, the fact that Brewer did not sign the bill is only a small amount of solace.  Arizona was presented to the nation as a state where a law like this almost became a reality. Those who opposed the bill likely lost respect for Arizona, and those who supported it could be disappointed that it did not pass. Either way, Arizona has come into the national spotlight, and it may not be a good thing.