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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 2002)
i'iiu iih 'iiìn n e w s the Rules Committee of the House, where it was stalled for nine months. In March the bill was moved to the House Judi ciary Committee, where it was voted out success fully 15-5 on Nov. 12. With final passage in the House by a vote of 118-79, it was presented to Republican Gov. Mark Schweiker, who signed it Dec. 3. “The people of Penn sylvania don’t believe in hate,” said Mara Keisling, Pennsylvania Gender State Reps. Warren Chisum and Robert Talton (inset) already have Rights Coalition co-chair- introduced anti-gay bills for the next session of the Texas Legislature woman. “With the help of a fully committed coalition...we were able to discrimination policy and begin providing convince the state Legislature of the need to health insurance benefits to gay employees’ domestic partners. protect transgender as well as lesbian, gay and bisexual people.” • New purchase • 100% equity loans • Pre-qualification by phone or fax • Refinance/cash out • Pre-approved loans « • Residential, commercial & investment property 503.297.9900 • Appointments at your convenience Office Evenings / Weekends 503.780.1561 Toll Free 1.877.826.9900 Email colleenw@mtgadvocates.com www.mtgadvocates.com Colleen Weed “I’m available w hen you are! " JJA J 9900 S.W . Wilshire Street Clearly Not Just a P atio C o ver m ortgage A n r i A d v o c a te s • Portland, Oregon 97225 d r i v e w it h P r id e TEXAS TENNESSEE racker Barrel’s board of directors voted * Nov. 26 to add sexual orientation to its written nondiscrimination policy. The change ends a decade-long H IH IH P N IE IS H H H H struggle that began when the company " > X B || issued a policy of V V - ' ’jJjlSgEjj firing employees who failed to R H |j js |^ V “demonstrate nor- mal heterosexual values.” The board of the Old Lebanon- based CBRL Group William C . Thompson Inc., the parent company of Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores and Logan’s Roadhouse restaurants, voted unan imously to change the nondiscrimination policy after its annual shareholder meeting. This was the 10th time such a resolution was put before shareholders. “This is the result of a lengthy campaign by my office and the trustees of several of the city’s pension systems,” said William C. Thompson of the New York City Employees Retirement Sys tem, which sponsored the resolution. “Working together, we hope to continue to push addition al companies to enact other nondiscriminatory policies in the future.” Cracker Barrel drew national attention in 1991 when it instituted a policy calling for fir ing employees “whose sexual preferences fail to demonstrate normal heterosexual values which have been the foundation o f families in our society.” A t least 11 workers were ter minated as a result. The company’s blatant discrimination— which was legal in the states where it occurred and remains legal under federal law— touched off a wave protests and boycotts. Cracker Barrel later revoked the policy, which it once described as a “well-intentioned overreaction to the perceived values of our cus tomers," but until now had not expressly pro tected gay employees from workplace discrimi nation. In fact, the company recommended that shareholders vote against the resolution again this year. Cracker Barrel was one o f only three com panies to earn a zero on the Human Rights Cam paign’s 2002 Corporate Equality Index, which rates major U .S. businesses on their policies toward queer employees, consumers and investors. Another company that had scored a zero, Lockheed Martin Corp. of Bethesda, Md., announced last month that it would add sexual orientation to its non- R eportedly emboldened by the November election results, right-wing legislators already have begun their attacks on the sexual minorities community, filing two anti-gay bills for the next session. The first is a ban on the recognition of same- sex marriages or unions from other states. House Bill 38 was introduced by state Rep. Warren Chisum. The second and far more serious bill would ban gay, lesbian and bi people from serving as foster parents. House Bill 194 was introduced by state Rep. Robert Talton. “Both bills have the potential of having a huge impact on G L B T Texans,” said Randall Ellis, Lesbian Gay Rights Lobby of Texas execu tive director. “We are developing our response to these unnecessary and cruel attacks on our community.” CALIFORNIA Speaker Pro Tern Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, has reintroduced a bill to prohibit the state from contracting with businesses that discriminate in the benefits offered to their employees with domestic part ners as compared to their employees with spous es. It was the first measure she introduced for the 2003 legislative session, which commenced Dec. 2. “T h is legislation not only ensures that Californians are not subsidizing discrimina tory workplace policies but also gives busi nesses a positive incentive for providing equal benefits,” said Geoffrey Kors, Califor nia A lliance for Pride and Equality executive director. “ It is expected that the incentive o f being eligible to do business with California will result in thousands o f companies chang ing their policies.” The bill is modeled on San Francisco’s Equal Benefits Ordinance, in place since 1997. Other California jurisdictions with similar require ments include Berkeley, Oakland, Los Angeles and San Mateo County. About 4,500 businesses nationwide, includ ing one-third of the Fortune 500, offer domestic partner health benefits. The San Francisco law is credited with encouraging companies employ ing more than 2 million workers to change their policies and provide equal benefits. A version of Assembly Bill 17 was intro duced late in the 2002 legislative session and successfully passed two committees and the Sen ate floor. It is anticipated that this measure will be addressed in February. | H Compiled by New s Editor JlM R adq STA, who can be reached at jhn@justout .com. Visit us online at: www. reyreece. com or schedule your appointment 503 - 256-3700 REY REECE DEALERSHIPS ISUZU-VOLKSWAGEN-USED C leary ^? S'K ss , D ignified pet S ervices 122nd & East Burnside www.reyreece. com egon Camera Everything Photographic Cremation A Memorials For Your Companion • Unique Oxemation Uxns • Jeu/elUy • Pejtsonadized Caskets • Gtanite Monuments • B o o k s 6 Litetatuxe 8976 SW Tualatin Sherwood Road Tualatin OR 97062 Phone (503) 885-2211 www.DignifiedPetServices.com (A Division o f Cascade Funeral Directors. 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