GOP inserts anti-LGBT amendment in eminent domain bill (Indiana)

[IndianaGreen]

On Wednesday the Indiana House of Representatives will debate an amendment
to House Bill 1010 that would prohibit cities and counties from providing
equal rights protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

ACT NOW!

Contact your State Representative immediately and tell them loud and clear
that this proposal is simply not acceptable! Municipalities must retain the
right to pass the laws for that are appropriate and needed for their
community and their citizens. Basic human rights should be ensured for all
Hoosiers.


******************************
In reaction to the success of Indiana Equality and its coalition partners in
moving forward local human rights ordinances - the Religious Right, led by
Advance America's Eric Miller, tapped Representative Jeff Thompson (R) to
author an amendment to HB 1010 (eminent domain). The proposal, Amendment
#12, specifies that local government may not extend protections for
employment or housing that is "greater than those protections or
opportunities offered by the Constitution of the State of Indiana, the
Constitution of the United States, or federal law, except as expressly
granted by statute."

This proposal would make illegal human rights protections based on sexual
orientation or gender identity, including those that have been enacted in
Bloomington, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Lafayette, Michigan City, West
Lafayette, and Tippecanoe County.

On Tuesday afternoon Democratic House members argued that the amendment was
neither acceptable nor relevant to the bill. Nevertheless, the amendment
was ruled germane and debate began. After intense questioning of Rep.
Thompson by a number of Representatives (both Democratic and Republican),
Speaker Brian Bosma adjourned House for the day without taking a vote on
Amendment #12. As there was no vote, the House will continue discussion on
the proposal when they re-convene at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, January 25th.

ACT NOW!

1.) Contact your State Representative immediately and tell them loud and
clear that this proposal is simply not acceptable! Municipalities must
retain the right to pass the laws for that are appropriate and needed for
their community and their citizens.

2.) Join Indiana Equality at the Indiana State House on Wednesday
evening, January 25, 2006 at 5PM in the Statehouse Rotunda and deliver a message in-
person to your Representative to reject Amendment # 12.






Stop The Amendment, Inc.
P.O. Box 441375
Indianapolis, IN 46244-1375

[sakabatou]

1. Jeff Thompson... pure sack of shit

[Chipper Chat]

2. Will the religious right ever lose it's deathgrip on this state?

They gained a foothold in the 70s with their successful killing of the 18-yr-old adult drinking bill (by 1 vote) and their stench has been prevalent ever since. I am so sorry Indiana is becoming the "Mississippi of the north" - the laughing stock of the midwest. If this passes students from IU, Purdue, and IPFW should organize mass protests.

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. Another reason I'm glad I live in the west and not the midwest

The Washington State Constitution outright forbids this kind of crap: No bill shall embrace more than one subject, and that shall be expressed in the title. Washington State Constitution, Article II, Section 19.

And yes, laws signed by the governor have been overturned on the technicality that the bill itself was unconstitutional. None in the last few decades, though; the judicial precedent is too strong and too clear. :toast:

[TaleWgnDg]

4. This will, hopefully, be defeated before its enacted . . .

.
This will, hopefully, be defeated before its enacted into Indiana law. However, if enacted, it most likely would not pass federal constitutional muster. Why do I say that? Because the U.S. Supreme Court tossed out a Colorado state constitutional amendment that said pretty much the same damn thing -- about not allowing any state or municipal laws to protect the rights of gays. SCOTUS tossed it out on 14th amendment equal protection grounds. Take a gander at that SCOTUS opinion here (syllabus opinion with links to full majority/dissenting opinions). (Romer, Governor of Colorado, et al. v. Evans et al., 517 U.S. 620 (1996)).

All that being said, may these religion-into-law nutcases on the uber-rightwing factor of the Republican Party all burn in hell for the eternal damnation that they wish upon others.
___________________________________
edited to add:

[IndianaGreen]

5. Thanks for the info, TaleWgnDg

I will share it with my fellow activists.

[TaleWgnDg]

6. Welcome; and tell 'em to fight it like hell anyway !!

[IndianaGreen]

7. Anti-LGBT rights amendment is withdrawn

At the urging of House Speaker Brian Bosma, a proposed amendment that would have overturned gay rights ordinances in Indianapolis and other cities has been withdrawn.

Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton, had sought Tuesday to insert the amendment into House Bill 1010, which restricts governments' ability to seize private property through eminent domain.
Bosma had abruptly shut the House down Tuesday as debate over the controversial amendment was going on in the House. When the House resumed action just before 2 p.m. today, Thompson withdrew his amendment.

"I had a number of discussions with Representative Thompson over the last 20 hours and did ask him to withdraw the amendment," Bosma said. "While I understand his commitment to this issue and the policy behind it, I believe this is an issue that needs to have more thorough vetting, discussed in a committee, the opportunity for the public to comment on it."
And, he said, "it was very clear that approaching it in this fashion would be a severe distraction from the important business at hand."

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060125/NEWS02/601250476