It left up to individual rabbis whether to hire homosexuals as teachers or youth leaders in their synagogues and whether to give homosexuals lay leadership positions and religious honors.

Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas said today that Ross Perot was wrong when he said he would not hire homosexuals or adulterers in his administration.

Further, some denominations worried about the law's costs, and some fundamentalists were concerned that because the law covers people infected with the virus that causes AIDS they might be forced to hire homosexuals.

Religious organizations would not be required to hire homosexuals.

"The feedback they get from their customers might be in favor of not hiring homosexuals," said Steven A. Rockwell, a securities analyst at the Alex Brown & Sons brokerage firm.

Such managers sometimes have prejudices against hiring or promoting homosexuals, and assume that married men are heterosexual, career counselors said.

The battle presented an awkward situation for news executives because many of them have declared that the industry needs to hire more minorities and homosexuals.

In January 2005, Roskam fought amending the Illinois Human Rights Act to include sexual orientation on the grounds that it would require churches and religious organizations to hire homosexuals.

They also will pay close attention to whether he defends his ban on federal money for international family planning agencies that perform or promote abortions, and whether he supports religious charities that want to receive federal financing while maintaining their right to not hire homosexuals.

Gov. George W. Bush Jr. has said he would have no qualms hiring homosexuals.