aprii 20. 2001 * J u s t
Nim« in vi s i n e w s
Lobbyists
from inner
Southeast
Portland climb
the Capitol
steps on their
way to the
House of
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col leenw(©mtgad voca tes.com
www.mtgadvocates.com
iter weeks of
planning,
about 100
supporters
of the Safe
Schools Bill descended on
the Oregon State Capitol
building April 19 to lobby
fence-sitting lawmakers.
The legislation is in the
hands of the House Judi
ciary Committee, but the activists came to
Salem seeking support should it come to the
fl(X)r for a vote. A duplicate proposal in the
Senate hasn’t had any movement this session.
House Bill 3247 seeks to protect sexual
minority students and those who are perceived
to be gay. A recent survey indicated one in 15
Oregon high schoolers had been harassed in
the previous 30 days because someone thought
he or she was gay.
These students, the poll suggests, are three
times more likely to attempt suicide than their
peers. The Youth Suicide Task Forces latest
prevention plan calls for reducing harassment
in schixds as a key strategy.
HB 3247 defines discrimination as “any act
that unreasonably differentiates treatment,
intended or unintended, or any act that is fair
in form but discriminatory in operation.” It
would add sexual orientation and perceived
sexual orientation to a list that includes age,
disability, national origin, race, marital status,
religion and sex.
Supporters say the bill will send a mandate
that equal protection is available to all stu
dents. Some hope that having safe schools leg
islation on the state’s law books will keep the
anti-gay Oregon Citizens Alliance from gain-
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Rep. Bill Garrard,
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Shari Bandes
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ing the stronghold on schools that it
seems determined to achieve.
Three other states, including
Washington, are looking at similar
legislation, according to the National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Face-to-
face lobbying, experts
say, can be the most
effective form of politi
cal influence, having a
greater impact on law
makers than letters, phone calls
and e-mails.
Rep. Carolyn Tomei, D-Mil-
waukie, listened carefully as lob
byists gave their pitch. “Great, I’ll
certainly be supportive,” she told
them. jH
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