Gay rights supporters fear HB1727 could threaten the existence of some 60 gay-straight alliances in VirginiaGÇÖs public schools.
However, some lawmakers have tried to get around giving off this appearance by saying that the law will apply to all extracurricular activities. No one is buying it, though. The bill's sponsor? Matthew Lohr, delegate AND bigot from Rockingham County, and Harrisonburg. Lohr has proposed the same atrocious piece of legislation for two straight years, both times it passed in the House before meeting a more appropriate fate in the state Senate.
Delegate David Englin of Arlington predicts the same fate for the 2007 version of the bill, also adding that Senate Republicans tend to be more moderate than Republicans in the House.
Del Englin went on to say:
GÇ£I think it would be tragically wrong to force a gay child to come out to his parents in order to benefit from the emotional and psychological support of a [gay-straight alliance], or to force a straight child to get permission from her parents to actively promote tolerance and understanding of her gay and lesbian friends.GÇ¥
Del. Englin also said he will introduce a LONG OVERDUE bill requiring Virginia hospitals to allow any patient to name any individual as their next of kin for visitation purposes. That is just one law he plans to introduce to combat the vile pile of GARBAGE known as the "Marshall-Newman amendment," last year's ridiculous measure "banning gay marriage" in Virginia. Although as we all know, gay marriage was already "against the law" (also see: Republicans attempting to "divide and conquer" an electorate). Englin went on to say of his measure:
GÇ£This is an issue that ought to get broad support, even among social conservatives. It will provide some practical measure of protection for gay and lesbian families.GÇ¥
Englin also plans to introduce other bills to combat the Marshall-Newman amendment, one to FULLY REPEAL the measure, and another which would leave the "one man, one woman" language, but repeal the rest of the amendment. Englin says he doesn't expect either to pass:
Englin said it is not realistic to expect either measure to pass this year, particularly with gay rights opponent Robert Marshall chairing the committee in charge of the bills. He and other state lawmakers who opposed the amendment want to take a stand.
GÇ£ItGÇÖs important to make the statement that my constituents, who voted three to one against the amendment, donGÇÖt accept NovemberGÇÖs result as the last word on the issue,GÇ¥ he said. GÇ£Personally, I donGÇÖt believe that NovemberGÇÖs defeat absolves me of my duty to stand up for all of my constituents, including the people who will be harmed by the amendment."
Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), the only openly gay member of the GA, plans to introduce a few "pro gay" measures of his own, including one to combat the Marshall-Newman amendment. Ebbin plans to add a clause similar to the language Marshall used when he originally introduced the amendment in 2005:
The text that was left out of the ratified amendment read, GÇ£A right, privilege or obligation may be bestowed on an unmarried person by statute even if it is among the whole number of rights, privileges and obligations of marriage.GÇ¥
EbbinGÇÖs other legislation will include a bill to prohibit employment discrimination in state hiring based on sexual orientation, as well as race, creed, gender, marital status or disability. Former Gov. Mark Warner issued an executive order prohibiting employment discrimination before leaving office in 2005. Current Gov. Tim Kaine upheld the order, which added sexual orientation to the stateGÇÖs ban on employment discrimination against public employees.
GÇ£My bill would put it in the code so it would not be subject to change from governor to governor, based on what they choose to put in their executive orders,GÇ¥ Ebbin said.