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(Olympia, Washington) Rep. Ed Murray knows better than to celebrate a lone Republican’s change of
heart, even though it could break the decades-old logjam over a measure to
extend anti-discrimination protection to gays and lesbians.
The Seattle Democrat has watched the bill banning discrimination in jobs
and housing die in the Legislature for many years – first as a gay-rights
activist, then as a lawmaker in the state House.
“Every year, something causes a vote or two to slip away,” he said.
But if the math holds, the vote from Sen. Bill
Finkbeiner (story), a moderate
Republican from Kirkland, is all supporters need.
Microsoft Corp. also has come out in favor of the measure, a year after
being denounced for quietly dropping support for it. (story)
Last week, the company
joined Boeing, Hewlett Packard Co., Nike and other companies in a letter to
state leaders urging passage of the bill.
Under the bill, “sexual orientation” would be added to a state law that
already bans discrimination in housing, employment and insurance based on
race, gender, age, disability, religion, marital status and other factors.
Sixteen states have passed similar laws. Businesses with fewer than eight
employees would be exempt.
The measure was first introduced in 1977 by the state’s first openly gay
lawmaker, Democrat Cal Anderson of Seattle. Anderson died of AIDS in 1995.
“The debate around this bill has a lot more to do with a discussion about
whether or not it’s OK to be gay or lesbian,” Finkbeiner said. “The
state is wrong if we end up saying, ‘No, it’s not OK.’”
Supporters say the time for the change in law is long overdue.
“Can you imagine that you can still get fired or denied housing because
you’re gay or lesbian in this state?” asked Fran Dunaway, executive
director of Equal Rights Washington, a group formed to support the gay civil
rights bill.
But opponents say the bill gives special preference to a group they say has
not proved it suffers discrimination.
“What the homosexual side has failed to show is whether there is any
pattern of discrimination that they are victims of now,” said the Rev.
Joseph Fuiten, a Bothell pastor who is chairman of the Faith & Freedom
Network.
The bill, with the backing of Gov. Christine Gregoire, is expected to sail
through the House, where it passed last year on a 61-37 vote, with six
Republicans joining 55 Democrats to pass it.
Finkbeiner’s switch all but assures its passage in the Senate, where it
was previously defeated.
©365Gay.com 2006
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