Wash. Legislature Passes Gay Rights Bill

AP ^ | 1/27/6 | RACHEL LA CORTE

[SmithL]

Olympia, Wash. -- Washington lawmakers passed a gay rights bill Friday in a major victory for activists who had watched the measure fail in the Legislature for nearly 30 years.

The bill passed the Senate 25-23, with a lone Republican joining Democrats in voting in favor. The House approved it 61-37, and Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire said she would sign it on Tuesday.

"We don't choose who we love. The heart chooses who we will love," said Republican Sen. Bill Finkbeiner. "And I don't believe that it is right for us to say ... that it's acceptable to discriminate against people because of that."

The measure adds sexual orientation to a state law banning discrimination in housing, employment and insurance on the basis of race, gender, age, disability, religion, marital status and other factors. Sixteen states have passed similar laws.

Passage of the bill drew applause from House members and cheers from onlookers who had packed the Senate's balconies.

After the measure failed last year by one vote in the Senate, many gay-rights activists directed their anger at Microsoft Corp., which had dropped its support for the bill. The company eventually urged passage after months of criticism.

[fwdude]

Washington continues its descent....

Too close to Canada.

[Tarkin]

Seriously, when are both coasts scheduled to drop off into the ocean?

Well, with global warming everywhere let's hope that's it's going to happen very soon. ;-)

[AntiGuv]

Massachusetts: 1989

Connecticut: 1991
Hawaii: 1991
New Jersey: 1991

Vermont: 1992

Minnesota: 1993

New Hampshire: 1997

Oregon: 1998

California: 1999
Nevada: 1999

Maryland: 2001
Rhode Island: 2001
Wisconsin: 2001

New York: 2003

New Mexico: 2004

Illinois: 2005

Washington: 2006

[M1911A1]

Washington State is fine, except for the cesspool that is the city of Seattle. Take away that black hole of liberal hogwash, and all would be well.

[Robert357]

Bump

[fwdude]

Thanks! Interesting time line. Notice that MA, CT, and VT are near the top and consider what legislation has ensued since in these states. I see this as an evil harbinger of the future for those other states.

[AntiGuv]

Here's a timeline for the states with non-discrimination Executive Orders (that include sexual orientation) covering public employees.

Pennsylvania: 1988
Colorado: 1990
Montana: 2000
Delaware: 2001
Arizona:2003
Indiana: 2004

[7thOF7th]

The next thing you know they will be allowed to get Married to themselves. "I, meet myself!" Cats and dogs living Together! It'll be anarchy!

[AntiGuv]

PS. Keeping in mind that many of the states that now by law ban discrimination against homosexuals statewide, previously had executive orders prohibiting it in public employment.

[MrLee]

Maine-2005

[Vicki]

Washington State is fine, except for the cesspool that is the city of Seattle. Take away that black hole of liberal hogwash, and all would be well.

Take Olympia too and the psuedo Republicans.

[JCEccles]

Judging from the list of states, It appears the gay lobby has already plucked almost all of the low-hanging fruit, as it were. It's going to be much harder slogging as they try to snatch recognition in the far branches of the red state heartland.

Nevada's legislation is understandable in light of the powerful Las Vegas entertainment interests. New Mexico? Well, who can make sense of New Mexico?

[AntiGuv]

Ah yes, you're right! Maine should be on the list for 2005. The map I was looking at was slightly out-of-date.

[little jeremiah]

I'm off of pinglisting for a while, other things are demanding my full attention. DirtyHarryY2K and DBeers are kindly taking on the H.A. for the duration (actually DHY2K was doing it a lot lately already).

Protection for deviants means exploitation of the innocent.

[goodnesswins]

Yeah, you are CORRECT.....same with Oregon, pretty much, too. Need to divide both states in half and make new States, West WASHOR and East ORWASH.....LOL.

[Giant Conservative]

And schools will teach that it's O.K. to be gay...even though reality says otherwise.

[vox_freedom]

I'm off of pinglisting for a while...

Got it, and will remember. Thanks l j and keep the faith. vox

[Giant Conservative]

Good point. Seattle is horrible, stuffed with miserable liberals hellbent on re-creating the rest of the state in their own image.

[M1911A1]

Yes, Olympia (at least the seat of state government, not the city itself) is odious, but subtract Seattle and the outlying liberal leeches would wither on the vine. Seattle is the nexus of liberalism in Washington, and supports all the outlying crackpots.

Perhaps Seattle will one day endure a Katrina type disaster, and the denizens will spew forth seeking handouts from the surrounding areas. At that point, I will once again be forced to ponder the genius of John Moses Browning and John Cantius Garand.

[Dallas59]

They can do whatever they want in their own bedrooms....just don't blame everyone else for any problems that require a physicians help the morning after.