Oregon House Passes Two Historic Bills for Basic Fairness and Equality

House Bill 2007 passes 34-26, Senate Bill 2 Passes 35-25; Both Bills Receive Bi-Partisan Support

(SALEM) - Today, after nearly 4 hours of debate on the House floor, both The Oregon Family Fairness Act (House Bill 2007) and The Oregon Equality Act (Senate Bill 2) passed the Oregon House with bipartisan support.

Senate Bill 2 will ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in areas such as employment, housing, public accommodation and public education.

House Bill 2007 will create a new statute in Oregon law, separate from Oregon's marriage statutes, to provide same-sex couples with Domestic Partnerships. These Domestic Partnerships provide Oregon's same-sex couples and their families with many of the basic protections, rights, and responsibilities under state law, currently only afforded through a marriage contract. It differs substantially from marriage in several ways – including that the protections of Domestic Partnerships are not portable outside the boundaries of the state of Oregon.

After the historic votes, Basic Rights Oregon's Interim Executive Director Aisling Coghlan said, "Today's votes reaffirm the State's fundamental responsibility and commitment to protect all Oregon families, and to ensure that Oregonians can live and work in an atmosphere without legalized discrimination. It also says a great deal about the values of the people of Oregon, their inherent sense of fairness and their dignity. Today we should all be proud to call ourselves Oregonians."

"All Oregonians are entitled to work in a place free of discrimination and harassment regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Senate Bill 2 creates a fair and comprehensive standard for both Oregon workers and employers," she added.

After the vote, Speaker Jeff Merkley said, "Today, the Oregon House made it clear that discrimination of any kind does not belong in our state. Fairness for all Oregonians and their families is a concept in step with the vast majority of Oregonians. I stand here proud of my colleagues who together took two great strides toward a more fair and equal Oregon."

Chair of the House Ethics, Elections and Rules Committee, and co-carrier of the bill Rep. Diane Rosenbaum said, "There are people in our communities who need a piece of legislation to be able to be in the room as their spouse draws their last breath. There are people in our communities who need a piece of legislation to be secure in their employment and housing. These are people who need us, today, to demonstrate the moral courage to recognize that they and their families count."

In his floor speech, House Majority Leader Dave Hunt stated, "Indeed, even in Oregon, our failure to imagine the infinite nature of equality and freedom has too often led us to deny fairness or delay in addressing inequity. Today, the Oregon House has voted to end that."

In her floor speech, Rep. Tina Kotek (D–N. Portland) said, "It's time, colleagues. Our great state should be a place where simple equality for all is the law of the land. Any opening, any possibility, any allowance for discrimination is not right for our great state."

The Next Steps: House Bill 2007 will now move to the Oregon Senate for committee hearing and floor vote. Senate Bill 2, which passed the Senate on March 21st in a vote of 21-7, will go back to the Senate for a concurrence vote on amendments to the religious exemption made in the House Rules Committee.

If passed in the Senate, the bills will be sent to Governor Kulongoski, who has pledged to sign both pieces of legislation.

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Comments Leave a comment on this story.

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Albert Marnell April 21, 2007 5:44 pm (Pacific time)

alucasm, It is easy to criticize trivialities rather than looking at the total perspective or total view. Try not to focus on the superfluous.

Albert Marnell April 21, 2007 5:24 pm (Pacific time)

Me, I have seen that "Dateline" over and over. It deals with pedophilia not homosexuality. As far as my spelling, I usually catch it after and do not have the time to always review what I so quickly write. A Ph.D. at a University once told me that people that are really educated do not focus on grammar or spelling but ideas and concepts......Einstein being a common example. I also do not get paid for this and how I approach it is my business. I hope you have a little better insight to those of us that have much more to do than proofread. One of my friends is a legal proofreader for a top law firm in Manhattan. He is not really that bright and focuses on minutia...thereby limiting his life in other areas and ability to conceptualize. But he knows more about grammar and spelling than the lawyers he works for. I would rather be one of the lawyers instead of being the proofreader. Last point, you can not spy on women now....that alone is an inane and just plain stupid comment. You are just homophobic and will use any kind of pseudo-logic to vent your phobia. This whole topic is not about bathrooms. You must live in a very provincial environment. You should live in the city of New York as I did for five years. You would have to adjust your views otherwise you would not survive in any meaningful way, socially or professionally. You would consider most art, plays, independent and foreign films, etc. to be perverted.

The Editor April 20, 2007 1:12 pm (Pacific time)

Alucasm, I perhaps wrongfully assumed your position because there is a lot of anti-gay rhetoric left in our comment section. If our use of a photo on a general subject is that large of an issue to you, then perhaps you will find other sites more to your liking. I have worked very, very hard along with a small group of others to move this site up notch by notch and so far it is working. I know there are journalistic standards that we will run awry of but I can tell you this much... that I believe Salem-News.com is the most progressive and honest news site this community has. So, while the Web is a big place and there are many choices, in all honesty I hope you stick around. There has been a newsroom discussion already about our failure to properly attribute the image you mentioned. I have no way to justify that aspect of it. I am the editor, my name is Tim King, I am also the founder of SNc. Thank you.

alucasm April 20, 2007 1:06 pm (Pacific time)

Editor, in hindsight, I guess the tone of my comment was too sarcastic. However, the substance is, I believe, a valid comment. I'm not sure I see the connection between my views on homosexuality and my question of journalistic integrity, however. I can't find anything in what I wrote that would indicate whether I am (in your words) "anti-gay" or not. If Salem-News had no pictures that directly related to this bill and the demonstrations for or against it, the option with the most merit appears to be to post the article with no pictures. If, as you say, this has been going on for many years, that is disheartening to hear. I only recently heard of your website, and so far had found it more to my taste than the Statesman's website. If you truly are the Editor of this site and believe that using pictures from other cities, years, demonstrations and events is acceptable journalism, then I believe I will take your advice and find a news source that practices more integrity.

The Editor April 20, 2007 11:59 am (Pacific time)

Well alucasm, that is an unusual complaint. You must be anti-gay and that is your prerogative. For us, the image was a better representation than others in our archives. If you don't know, this has been going on for many years. We apparently failed to attribute the picture, that is a mistake, but I hope you usually have better things to express your negativity over. You can suggest a new name for us, and I suggest for you a new news venue that doesn't rile your anger and discontent.

alucasm April 20, 2007 11:44 am (Pacific time)

Why did S-N use a picture from San Franciso taken in August 2004 for this article? Were no pictures taken in Salem during April 2007 that relate to this article? The picture is from http://www.basetree.com/thumbs2/Marriage_Equality_for_All.jpg. Maybe we should change this website from "Salem-News" to "Salem-News and Irrelevant Pictures from Elsewhere."

Me April 20, 2007 9:54 am (Pacific time)

Mr. Marnell - It seems I've struck a nerve with my comment. I apologize for the blunt nature of it, though I am glad it made you nauseous--that was part of its intended effect. First of all, I believe you missed my point. My point was not how happy I am that I can go spy on women now. What I intended to show was that if we follow this legislation out to its logical conclusion, we have, in fact, facilitated the kinds of perversion nearly all of us hope to end. (See Dateline's "To Catch a Predator" series for this sort of thing.) I have a young daughter, and I'd like to think that she can use the ladies' room without being afraid that one of Dateline's targets has decided to take advantage of our unneeded and dangerous law and is hiding in there waiting for little girls like mine. This was not an attack against the majority of people this law was designed for. I was merely trying to probe what the implications of this law would be for those who thrive on taking advantage of such things. Secondly, if you're going to attack my education, etc., I suggest you proofread your own attack before posting it. It lowers your credibility to insult somebody's education with a post that contains spelling and grammatical errors.

Albert Marnell April 19, 2007 5:59 pm (Pacific time)

Hey Me, In some countries in Europe, bathrooms are sexless....Belgian being one place unless they have changed since years ago. Your plumbing belongs in a stall. Who in the hell wants to see your plumbing (front or back)? Do you want different bathrooms for lesbian and gay men just because you fear they may be attracted to the same sex. Gay or straight, you go into the bathroom because of bodily functions, washing hands, combing hair, maybe to throw-up (which I almost did after reading your stupid comment). Some people deal drugs in bathrooms in night clubs and bars. Illegal behavior is just that and everyone is responsible for their own behavior in or out of a bathroom. Real insightful comment you made....mind of a 12 year old. Your lack of knowledge of human sexuality, behavior and fantasies are sick and perverted.....add your poor education in general. If you went to college, you wasted your money and 4 years of your life.

Stay Tuned April 19, 2007 5:44 pm (Pacific time)

There will be a state vote and things will become reflective of what the majority so determines as correct behavior. Do not be distressed the aberrants will become stone in due time...

Me April 19, 2007 3:57 pm (Pacific time)

So, if I understand correctly, gender identity discrimination in the realm of public accomodation refers to things like mens' and womens' restrooms and locker rooms. So, if I, who have the biological plumbing of a man, have a gender identity crisis coupled with a sexual identity crisis and feel like a lesbian, can I then go spy on women in the women's room? I bet the sickos and perverts are giddy at the thought of this passing!

Hank Ruark April 19, 2007 6:46 am (Pacific time)

Now we begin to see what "Fly With Own Wings !" can really mean. Impossible to do so with only one-sided wing... !!

Leathan Graves-Highsmith April 18, 2007 3:21 pm (Pacific time)

Finally something about my state government that I can be proud of.

Sue April 18, 2007 1:18 pm (Pacific time)

EVERYONE DESERVES THE SAME FAIR TREATMENT. It is so sad that it is even a debate. To the gay community, I say congrats and may you soon have the same privilege of marrying the person you love as I have.

Kevin M. - Salem April 18, 2007 11:42 am (Pacific time)

Once again the Salem-News team has brought to the front, issues of importance to all peoples of Oregon. Their ability to present the "Charged" issues has always been the best of professionalism. - Thank you!

Police Person April 17, 2007 7:08 pm (Pacific time)

Now I can finally feel more secure at my job. I now have recourse.

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