This is pretty huge:

Eli Lilly and Co. today became the latest large Indiana employer to oppose a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Tony Murphy, Lilly's senior vice president for human resources, sent a letter to House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, and other legislators saying the amendment could hinder Lilly's ability to attract employees and also paint an image of Indiana as an intolerant state.

You can read the letter in its original form here, but I have transcribed it below for your viewing pleasure.

Dear Speaker Bauer:

Thank you for asking for our view on the proposed legislation SJR 7, Section 2, (b) and whether Lilly provides domestic partner benefits. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Lilly is one of the largest private employers in Indiana, employing nearly 16,000 people in this state.

In January of 2004, Lilly made the decision to offer domestic partner benefits. Uncertainty around the current language of SJR 7, Section 2, (b) has raised concerns with many Lilly employees in Indiana that these benefits may be at risk. As a result of this uncertainty, some employees may choose to leave Indiana to work in a state where these benefits are perceived not to be threatened.

Given the great lengths Lilly takes to attract and retain top talent from around the world, we oppose any legislation that might impair our ability to offer competitive employee benefits or negatively impact our recruitment and retention.

Beyond this, we are concerned that the proposed legislation sends an unwelcoming signal to current and future employees by making Indiana appear intolerant. As a result, we believe this amendment works against Indiana's stated desire to broaden its appeal to attract new businesses to the state.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me at [phone number].

Sincerely,

Tony Murphy, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President, Human Resources

As Dr. Murphy points out, this isn't about Lilly, or Cummins, or any other company so much as about making the entire state attractive to talent across the nation. With Lilly employing 16,000 people across the state of Indiana, this is a big moment for opponents of SJR-7.

Originally posted at Blue Indiana.

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