Law forbidding anti-gay ordinances upheld
SALIM |AP) A judge Tuesday upheld a
state law that forbids cities and counties
from enacting anti-gay rights ordinances,
including measures alreadv approved by
voters in 11 cities and five counties
The Oregon Legislature s dm ision to pass
a state law in l‘i«) i prohibiting loi a! anti ga\
rights measures from going into effm t is < on
stitiitioii.il and valid Marion (anility Circuit
fudge Albin Norblad ruled
The issue of homosexual rights is sui h a
substantive soi lal issue that the Legislature
may pre-empt" local entities. Norblad said
in his opinion, citing a 1'17H Oregon
Supreme Quirt ruling.
That ruling allows state lawmakers to
dominate decision-making on issues that
have a "statewide substantive, social or eco
nomic or other regulators objective
Homosexual rights is one of the major pol
k v issues facing Oregonians. Norblad said
"There is no doubt hut that the Legislature
has the right to, and did, pre-empt tins area.
The judge's ruling stems from a lawsuit
tiled In tlie Oregon Citizens Alliance chal
lenging the constitutionality of the law I he
OCA argued that the law infringed upon
people's rights under the Oregon Ccmstitu
turn to initiate laws
()( At hairman Lon Mahon said he would
rppeal Norhlad's ruling to the Oregon ( uurt
of Appeals
We will challenge it and do whatever is
nuiessary to defend the citizens' rights.
Mahon said
The OCA sponsored the anti-gav rights
ordinances that already have passed in cities
and counties around the state. In nearly
The issue of homosexual
rights is such a
substantive social issue
that the Legislature may
pre-empt’ local entities’
Albm Norblad
ManCounty o'd/it judge
every case. tov at courts have overturned the*
ordinances or officials have refused to
colon e them bei ause of the state law
The ()( A also is gathering signatures to
put on the General I hi tion ballot in Novem
ber a statewide constitutional amendment
barring anti-disc riminntion laws for homo
sesuals It is I revised version of an Of A
measure defeated by voters in touj
Gav rights activists praised Norblad s rul
ing
"Nobodv's riglits should he put up lor a
popular vote I think the judge's ruling is a
reiteration of that point. ' said In 1 in Dav is
e\e< utive director of Support Our ( ammu
nities. the group that lias led the opposition
to the ( X S measures
I),iv IS said the judge S ruling sends a mes
sage that "if a loc al municipalitv is mterler
mg with the rights of individuals then (In
state should intervene
Hut Steve Barber. .1 Sweet Home lot ksmith
w ho voted for that city 's anti gay rights ordi
nance last (all. was dismayed by the judge's
ruling.
I don't think it's fair. barber said "As
far as I'm < om emed. the judge is doming us
our rights as i itizens of Oregon
"If they art' going to do that for the gav
rights issue. thou there might bo other issues
ill the future that judges will overrule
Where is this going to stop''
Norblad's ruling does not prevent voters
from continuing to cast ballots on the ijues
turn of protei tion from <1im riminntion for
homosexuals Several more local elections
on similar measures are scheduled this
spring
The (K A lawsuit is the onlv direi t dull
lenge so far to the state law. w ith the ruling
taking prei edence over Un.nl court rulings,
said attorney Charles Hinkle who argued (or
the state law on behalf of the Amerit an < av
il 1 alierties t nion ot t Iregotl
In a related i ase. Can tut Judge 1 A Mer
ryman of |a< k.son County recently ruled that
the state law is unconstitutional!) broad In
doing so hi* upheld a loi al anti gav rights
initiative passed bv Medford voters
Norhlad re jet. ted arguments In foes of the
state law who argued that it the law i an tor
hid anti gav rights ordinam i">. it also would
prohibit lm al pro homosexual law s
Portland Corvallis and Ashland have
ofdiuam ex ensuring some rights for homo
sexuals
1 he l egislature has authority, Norhlad
said, to tell local governments they could
either do nothing or do it the wav the l.egis
latum directs
Hinkle said the dot isiou means "cities i an
protect people las ause of sexual orientation
but can t single people out bused on sexual
orientation fur disapproval
Woman
files claim
at Ul
MOSCOW. Idaho (AP) —
Thu state of Idaho and the
University of Idaho were
responsible for a student's
three-story ftdl that left her
paralyzed, attorneys for the
woman said in a claim.
The claim, received
Monday at the Secretary of
State's office, is the first
step toward filing a lawsuit
lor damages against the
stale It i ontonds the state
and university are respon
sible for damages suffered
h\ Kejeiui Coghlan. her par
ents and two brothers
I'he i Inim contends each
bus been damaged "in
sums in excess of
5500,000," but does not
give a s|ss ifir amount. The
claim does not olalxirnte on
how the state and univer
sity were responsible for
the fall lust August.
Coghlan was paralyzed
from the waist down when
she fell from n sorority'*
third floor fire escape after
being served alcoholic (lev
erages at two fraternities.
COMMUNITY UPDATE
• The United Way needs volunteers fur the following
positions: nature guide for Mount I’isgah Arboretum, nine
hours per week; telephone crisis volunteer for Sexual
Assault Support Services, four hours per week; child care
volunteer for Housing Authority and Community Ser
vices Agency of Lane County, two hours per week; board
member for Line County AIDS Hospice Services, 12 hours
per month; agent v data specialist for United Way Vol
unteer Connection. 10 hours per month For more infor
mation. call the Volunteer Conner tion, OKI >1000
• Fret* income tax help is available Saturday at \a!
lev River Center from 10 a.m. to p m The Oregon Depart
ment of Revenue will assist people near the Nutcracker
booth
• Clergy anil (.aits Concerned has st heduled a dessert
auction Saturday to honor Him k History Month Sharon
Cary-Smith of Portland will speak afxiut Afrii an Amur
ican activism following the auction llie event begins
at 7 p m at f irst United Methodist Church Pick evils Ixm
efit (1AU and the African American Self-Awareness Insti
tute for more information, call 485-1755.
• fntry forms are available for the first "gARfhage
exhibit, an art show that focuses on rvcyt ting People are
invited to enter a si ulpturo. wall hanging or other cre
ations made from ns ycled items fntries will !*• displayed
at Valley River ('.enter in Mart h 1’he exhibit is sponsored
by the St Vim imt de (’mil Society Kntry forms are avail
able at ValUiy Kivnr (>nter ( aistomer Servii e and nil St
Vincent (In Paul stores Deadline is March *t
• Workout Oregon. a two-hour aerobic workout chul
Icng© between lot al health ( luhs, will heuelit the Mils
cular Dystrophy As six iation I’artii ipants t an win a trip
to the Oregon Coast or a Pn* or 7 t«F Climber from Fugene
Athletii The event is si hndulud Suturday from 1 in to
t ID p.m at Oakwav Spa, Oregon West Fitness. South
side Fitness & Aerobics. ( add s Ilyin, better bodies. Fmer
ald Valley Resort. f’ucifii Nautilus and lazzeri ize For
more information, call fiHti-2751.
The Hot
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FALL CREEK
It A K EHY & Cafe
881 East 13th Avenue next to the UO Bookstore
Open Mon-Fn 7 30 7, Sat 8-6. Sun 10-4 484-1662
l iijjliona ( hoatltiH Imlllt s i< IIctnt-Slui/M'd ( iikr\, loo
Gat raaults. Advartiaa in tha.
ODE
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