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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 2007)
16 , JUStjOUt JANUARY northwest Thanks (Christine! Defeated Civil Unions Bill Resurrected Does Senate Bill 1000 have a fighting chance in 2007? by Jaymee R. Cuti LAURELHURST DENTISTRY C larice J ohnston "After a long day on the job, site, nothing heats hubbies and beer in my remodeled bathroom. Thanks for taking our hands and guiding us through the maze of refinancing." & d . m . d . ASSOCIATES • Treatment explained and discussed • Teeth whitening • New patients welcome 503-481-0574 hallc<tì)eaglehomemortgage.com Christine Hall Senior Loan Consultant 503/233-3622 2520 East Burnside i »A ka «• Crank up the Heat, ana Let’s Get Cooking!! Serious education for the casual cook - hands-on classes in our professional facility with experienced chef instructors. Basics classes including Knife Skills. Kitchen Skills & Techniques, Understanding Flavor, Baking Basics. Pastry Basics and Wine Fundamentals Four-day series in Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Cuisine Ten-day Baking and Pastry Series Specialty and customized classes Team-Building events catered to your particular needs - from fun in the kitchen to functional organizational training • Special Events for parties, groups, and clubs OREGON QUINARY Call today! INSTITUTE PKtNU^UX 1.888.OCI.CHEJ 1701 SW Jefferson Street - Check our class schedule at www.oregonculinaryinstitute.com Team! Job Hotline: 503-988-5035 TTY: 503-988-5170 an equal opportunity employer www.multcojobs.org early 30 years have passed since a group of Oregonians known as the Sexual Preference Task Force made recommendations to then Gov. Robert Straub. Although Oregon could have been one of the first states to outlaw anti-gay discrimination, as the advisory body called for in the late 1970s, its queer res idents remain without legal protection against unfair treatment in a variety of settings including housing, employment and public accommodations. Little legal ground has been won despite the lobby ing efforts of longtime activists—even during sessions when Democrats were in power. Yet a few factors seem to make 2007 the prime session for passing a bill mandating equal treatment for queer Oregonians. To the frustration of Senate Bill 1000 champions, Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s Oregon House Speaker-elect Jeff Merkley will ensure a Task Force on Equality made recom House debate for gay rights legislation. mendations Dec. 21 that essentially echo rhe goals of the defeated bill. In its report, the Merkley, a civil unions supporter, said he plans task force recommended that state law should to put measures in place to restore the Oregon prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation House policy of debating a bill that a majority and should provide a framework for legal recogni wishes to discuss, referred to as the “rule of 31.” tion of same-sex relationships in a form that is dif “If a majority of members call for it, we will ferent from marriage. That could take the form of have a debate. That was the rule that was destroyed civil unions, which are congruent with Measure 36, in the last session for the first time in Oregon’s the statewide same-sex marriage ban. history,” said Merkley. The task force’s report was a culmination of With a “bread and butter agenda” mostly testimony given by business owners, civil leaders centered on funding education, providing health and people who have experienced discrimination care to children and enhancing state trooper plus a review of anti-bias laws enacted in 10 presence, Merkley will also foster a tone of biparti Oregon cities, two counties and 17 other states. san collaboration by giving priority to bills with The day after the November 2006 election, support from both sides. a victorious Kulongoski promised that anti Merkley says his sway toward social justice discrimination legislation would have its day of issues stems from the experience of growing up in a fair debate in the Legislature. working-class family. His father developed a keen “1 believe we have before us a historic opportu compass for fairness while working in Latin nity to make change in 2007, and you have my America during World War II. According to word that the legislative session will not end until Merkley, his father was “profoundly offended” that we have had a fair and open debate on pro-equality Costa Rican nationals earned a 10th of what he legislation in the House and Senate,’’ he said. That and other Americans were paid to build the same discussion is expected in April or May. highways. “Thar is a framework that resonates with Though Basic Rights Oregon insiders refuse to me and what I’ve been about,” Merkley said. 13efore entering Oregon politics in 1998, the reveal details about the type of bill they plan to bring to the Legislature, they say it will be “very Portland native pursued a master’s degree in public similar” to SB 1000, with minor adjustments in the policy at Princeton University, was a presidential phrasing of education-based policy to inoculate the management intern in 1982, worked in the defense arguments of opponents. secretary’s office and served Congress as a budget The leadership of House Speaker-elect Jeff and policy analyst. Upon returning to Oregon in Merkley, D-Portland, also portends advances in 1991, Merkley became executive director of civil rights for sexual minorities. Portland Habitat for Humanity, initiated a pilot “When [House Speaker Karen MinnisJ resorted project for Youth Build in which gang-affiliated to the kind of maneuvers that she did to block SB youth build homes in their neighborhixxls and 1000, I don’t think there was anyone more served as director of housing development at incensed and more unwilling to let it go than Jeff Human Solutions, a project that creates affordable Merkley,” said Rebekah Orr, a spokeswoman tran complexes for low-income families. He was named sitioning from the communications director post at House Democratic leader in 2003 and re-elected in 2005. © BRO to that position for the House Democrats.
