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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1989)
Gay rights lobby day at the State Legislature How It All Works If the turnout at the gay rights lobby day was indicative of community interest in legislation affecting gays and lesbians , then the community has some work to do. BY S ANNDEE H O C H MAN ince the passage of Measure 8 in November, the fight for lesbian and gay rights has moved from the voting booths to the legislative halls. A handful of bills on issues ranging from gay-bashing to HIV-testing have been introduced in the 1989Oregon legislature. But many legislators, having watched the divisive and emotional campaigns on both sides of Measure 8. now flinch from any measure that touches the issue of sexual orientation. Sen. Shirley Gold (D-Portland) told a small group of gay rights activists at the state capitol last month. “ The feeling we’re dealing with after the Measure 8 campaign with regard to both sides is: why don't you just go away and leave us alone,” Gold said. The gay rights lobby day came on the heels of a lobby day by the Oregon Citizens’ Alliance, the group that sponsored Measure 8, a repeal of Gov. Neil Goldschmidt’s executive order banning discrimination against lesbians and gays in state hiring and services. If the turnout at the gay rights lobby day was indicative of community interest in legislation affecting gays and lesbians, then the com munity has some work to do. The event was barely publicized, but could have been worth while; the participants — all 20 of them — got a solid mini-civics course and a rundown of this term's pertinent bills. They are: HB 2364. This bill, proposed by Multnomah County District Attorney Michael D. Schrunk, essentially makes gay-bashing a crime. What it actually does is add “ sexual orientation” to the usual list of characteristics — race, color, religion, and national origin — in an anti intimidation law. This 1981 law says that tampering with someone’s property, threaten ing physical injury, or physically harassing them on the basis of any of those listed characteristics is a class-A misdemeanor. If two or more persons act together to intimidate an individual. the crime becomes a class-C felony. When this bill came before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Correc tions. most members balked. “ It is clear that this has frightened a lot of people,” said Stevie Remington, executive director of the Oregon ACLU. “ There are a lot of people who do not w ant to get near the words, ‘sexual orientation.’ ’’ The solution: Rep. Kevin Mannix (D-Salem) came up with amendments that dropped the buzz-words ‘sexual orientation’ and instead said it is a crime to intimidate someone on the basis of her or his status in the community, opinion, or beliefs. This language, presumably, w ould cover gays and lesbians as well as others who may be targets of intimidation. But Remington said the ACLU believes the wording is so vague that it could not pass muster in court. One remote possibility. Remington said, would be to persuade the state Senate to pass a version of the bill including the words "sexual orientation; "the discrepancy would then be hammered out inaconference committee. “ It’s very difficult to see how we could pull this off," she said. HB 3211. The foster-care bill. This is the measure that has ignited the most ire in the lesbian and gay community, although lobbyists predict it will not even receive a hearing. Still, its language and its sponsor, the OCA. carries echoes of the ‘Yes on 8’ campaign. As a docu ment. the bill is an interesting piece; it broadly defines “ homosexual” as someone who “ engages in. desires to engage in or intends to engage in homosexual acts ” f w w JL HB 2709. This measure would strike a point in favor of confidentiality with respect to AIDS. It would prohibit real estate brokers from dis closing to new buyers that a previous occupant of the property was infected or died from AIDS HJR 32. This measure, a proposed amend ment to the state constitution, would deny state funding for abortions. Because the federal gov ernment no longer funds abortions, state money is the only public money available in Oregon for poor women to have abortions. The success of this measure, as well as two that would restrict minors’ access to abortion, depends in part on timing. If the Supreme Court hears the Webster v. Reproductive Health Services case — which could result in turning abortion regulation back to individual states — before the end of the session in Salem, abortion opponents will gain momentum here and elsewhere. With abortion rights on the line nationally, ‘ “the climate is very hostile.” said Holly Pruett, lobbyist for the Women’s Rights Coalition. SB 631. The ubiquitous gay rights bill, this time sponsored by the Oregon Lesbian and Gay Action Network (OLGA). This measure, similar to HB 2325. which failed to get out of the House Judiciary Committee in 1987. would prohibit discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodation based on sex ual orientation. “ We don’t have any expectation at all that this will pass both houses,” said Remington. “ However, we expect it to receive a full hear ing.” which gives citizens the chance to educate legislators and the public with their testimony. The problem, as always, with gathering votes on this bill is one of courage and political risk. While legislators may say privately that they support it. few will go on record with a “ yes” vote unless they’re assured of enough company to pass the measure. Still, “ it’s important to keep lobbying and pushing the information to help people get over their prejudices." said Remington. SB 606 would require reporting and record keeping of hate-crimes based on sexual orienta tion. as well as on race, color, religion, or national origin. Last May. the US House of Representatives passed a similar bill requiring the Justice Department to collect statistics on such crimes, but the Senate failed to get the bill to the floor. “ * It should not be difficult to achieve passage of that bill.” said Gold. A hearing on it is scheduled for April 6. SB 827 would require positive HIV test results to be released to all health care providers who come into contact with the individual who is infected. Another AIDS-related bill. HB 2435, sponsored by the Oregon Medical Association, would allow mandatory HIV- testing for people w hose blood or body fluid came into contact with at-risk emergency or medical employees, at the request of those employees. “ We are taking a position at this time that they should not mandate any testing.” said Remington of the ACLU. “ It doesn’t really do anything to help the person who’s exposed.” • ACLU. and other organizations also keep tabs bill is introduced on the floor of the on pertinent bills. state House or Senate. From there, it goes to committee, where it may be amended and voted out, or may languish at the bottom ot How can you affect this process? Write let ters. make phone calls, drive to Salem and chat the agenda. From committee, the measure with your representative and senator. The WRC would return for debate and voting to the floor and the ACLU can give you tips on how to do it, of the chamber in which it started. but common sense remains a good guide. If the House and Senate approve different Practice what you want to say. offer to leave versions of the same bill, a conference com some supporting written materials and keep the mittee will try to draft a compromise version. meeting brief, no more than five or ten minutes. Once both houses have approved a bill, it goes If you write, a personal, original letter carries to the governor for signature or veto, or to the more clout than a carBon copy of one sent by people in the form of a ballot measure. every member of a group. Because most of the gritty work — the Joint Legislative Guides containing the amendments, the arguments, the persuasion — names, phone numbers and committee assign happens in committee, that is the best time to ments of each legislator are available from the lobby legislators about a measure. You can find Distribution Center at the capitol. The toll-free out who’s scheduled to hear what by calling number to contact legislators and committees is 1 -800-332-2313. the number for information on 1-800-327-7389. bill status. The Women's Rights Coalition, the • A How to phone or write representatives and senators (Insert Representative I Senator Name) (Insert Room Number) STATE CAPITOL SALEM. OR 97310 OR CALL, TOLL FREE: 1-800-332-2313 (for information on bill status) OR 1-800-327-7389 (To access Senators and > Represenatives) HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES Name (Party) Room Phone Bruce Hugo (D) H-488 378-8026 Tom Hanlon (D) H-487 378-8824 Paul Hanneman (R) H-377 378-8788 Hedy Rijken (D) H-287 378-8040 AI Young (D) H-475 378-8827 Delna Jones (R) H-385 378-8857 Ted Calouri (R) H-381 378-8876 Mary Alice Ford (R) H-378 378-8858 Tom Brian (D) H-470 378-8042 Vera Katz (D) 269 378-8977 Tom Mason (D) H-280 378-8826 Phil Keisling (D) H-278 378-8864 Judith Bauman (D) H-286 378-8036 Bev Stein (D) H-292 378-8035 Gene Sayler(R) H-383 378-8029 Rodger Wehage (R) H-471 378-8059 Mike Burton (D) H-486 378-8782 Margaret Carter (D) H-478 378-8823 Ron Cease (D) H-279 378-8822 John Minnis (R) H-371 378-8018 Lonnie Roberts (D) H-481 378-8837 Rick Kotulski (D) H-491 378-8832 Robert Shiprack (D) H-28? 378-8784 Randy Miller (R) H-388 378-8892 Dave McTeague (D) H-479 378-8890 Larry Sowa (D) H-293 378-8060 Kelly Clark (R) 364 378-8853 Fred Parkinson (R) H-372 378-8854 Stan Bunn (R) H-276 378-8012 Jeff Gilmour (D) H-480 378-8785 Gene Derfler(R) 365 378-8862 Kevin Mannix (D) H-285 378-8893 Peter Courtney (D) H-493 378-8047 John Schoon (R) H-389 378-8002 Tony Van Vliet (R> H-374 378-8856 Carolyn Oakley (R) 369 378-8021 Liz VanLeeuwen (R) H-386 378-8861 Cedric Hayden (R) H-393 378-8061 Jim Edmunson (D) H-284 378-8020 Dist I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 Carl Hosticka (D) David Dix (D) William Dwyer (D) Larry Campbell (R) Sam Dominy (D) Norm Gershon (D) Bill Markham (R) Jim Whitty (D) Walt Schroeder (R) Bob Repine (R) Ernie Calhoon (D) Eldon Johnson (R) Nancy Petersen (D) Bemie Agrons (D) Bob Pickard (R) Bev Clamo (R) Greg Walden (R) Charles Norris (R) Ray Baum (R) Michael Nelson (D) D.E. Jones (R) H-495 H-295 H-473 H-395 H-474 H-277 H-484 H-485 H-373 H-496 H-492 H-392 H-283 H-291 H-384 366 367 H-382 368 H-472 H-380 378-8780 378-8540 378-8046 378-8772 378-8794 378-8008 378-8790 378-8019 378-8865 378-8863 387-8781 378-8869 378-8791 378-8878 378-8058 378-8883 378-8829 378-8050 378-8024 378-8014 378-8859 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 *49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 STATE SENATORS Name (Party) Room Phone Dist Joan Dukes (D) S-210 378-8027 1 John Brenneman (R) S-319 378-8842 2 Bob Shoemaker (R) S-212 387-8080 3 Paul Phillips (R) S-302 387-8839 4 Jeannette Hamby (R) S-312 378-8814 5 Dick Springer (D) S-310 378-R850 6 Shirley Gold (D) S-216 378-8845 7 Bill McCoy (D) S-209 378-8804 8 Frank Roberts (D) S-206 378-8803 9 Jane Cease (D) S-217 378-8073 10 Glenn Otto (D) S-211 378-8806 11 Bill Kennemer (R) S-307 378-8076 12 Joyce Cohen (D) S-218 378-8828 13 Bob Kintigh (R) S-318 378-8079 14 Jim Bunn (R) S-3I1 378-8838 15 Jim Hill (D) S-306 378-8071 16 C.T. “Cub” Houck (R) S-323 378-8176 17 Clifford Trow (D) S-204 378-8801 18 Mae Yih (D) S-214 378-8847 19 Gratten Kerans (D) S-305 378-8072 20 Larry Hill (D) S-205 378-8315 21 Peg Jolin (D) S-215 378-8812 22 John Kitzhaber (D) S-203 378-8173 23 Bill Bradbury (D) S-223 378-8700 24 Ron Grensky (R) S-314 378-8844 25 Lenn Hannon (R) S-303 378-8840 26 Peter Brockman (R) S-316 378-8851 27 Wayne Fawbush (D) S-309 378-8062 28 Mike Thome (D) S-219 378-8074 29 Eugene D. Timms (R) S-317 378-8849 30