Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1999 15:06:10 -0500 From: David Elliot Subject: [NGLTF PRESS] Report tracks GLBT legislation in all 50 states NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE PRESS RELEASE Contact: David Elliot, Communications Director 202-332-6483 ext. 3303 800-757-6476 pager delliot@ngltf.org http://www.ngltf.org 1700 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC ********************************************* BALANCE OF POWER IN STATE LEGISLATURES SLOWLY SHIFTING TOWARD GLBT EQUALITY, ANNUAL NGLTF REPORT SHOWS Dec. 13, 1999 - As state organizing on behalf of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people strengthens, 1999 has witnessed an historic shift in the approach state legislatures are taking toward GLBT equality, according to a report released today by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "Capital Gains and Losses: A State By State Review of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and HIV/AIDS Related Legislation in 1999," tracks 474 GLBT- and HIV/AIDS-related bills in the nation's 50 state legislatures and the District of Columbia. The report - by far the most comprehensive of its type ever assembled - serves as a legislative roadmap that shows gains and losses during the past year, and where the quest for GLBT equality likely is headed in the year 2000. Compiled and authored by NGLTF Field Organizer Dan Hawes, NGLTF has released the report annually since 1996. "Within the past several years, the center of gravity has shifted from Washington, D.C. to the states. But this year, we witnessed another, even more dramatic shift," said NGLTF Executive Director Kerry Lobel. "Within the state legislatures, the center of gravity is slowly shifting from an anti-GLBT atmosphere to one that will result in more victories for the GLBT movement. Our future has never been so bright and our opportunities so near. But our increasing power also presents the risk and possibility of a backlash from those who do not share our vision of equality for every human being." Highlights of this year's "Capital Gains and Losses" include: ****During the 1999 state legislative sessions, favorable bills outnumbered unfavorable bills by the largest margin ever. Some 269 bills tracked by NGLTF were favorable, while 205 unfavorable bills were considered. This ratio becomes even more dramatic after factoring out the many bills related to HIV/AIDS issues. Of the remaining GLBT-related measures, 214 bills were favorable and 81 were unfavorable, almost a three-to-one ratio. ****More importantly, in state after state, more favorable GLBT-related bills progressed farther than ever before, even when they failed to win final passage. This year the Maryland House of Delegates passed a comprehensive civil rights bill; the South Carolina Senate passed a hate crimes bill as did the Texas House of Representatives; and in North Carolina and Louisiana, legislative committees approved hate crimes and employment non-discrimination measures. ****Unprecedented legislative victories were achieved in many states. Nevada enacted a measure prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in public and private employment. Missouri enacted a bill adding sexual orientation (and including transgendered people), gender and disability to its existing hate crimes law. New Hampshire repealed its 11-year ban on gay and lesbian adoptions. And California enacted bills establishing domestic partnership benefits for same-sex couples, banning discrimination against GLBT students and banning employment and housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. ****Despite all of this progress, 1999 saw many unfavorable HIV/AIDS-related bills advance far in the legislative process. These bills mandated HIV testing for groups perceived as high-risk, required names reporting of people with HIV/AIDS, criminalized the transmission or possible transmission of HIV, and banned life-saving needle exchange programs. Capital Gains and Losses attributed the overall historic success of 1999's round of legislative activity to a variety of factors: ****Increased local organizing and training, in part because of the highly visible "Equality Begins at Home" campaign, which witnessed tens of thousands of activists participating in more than 350 events in all 50 state capitals, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. "Equality Begins at Home showed state legislators that the GLBT community is an organized and active voting block that will hold them accountable on important community issues," said NGLTF Political Director Rebecca Isaacs. "No longer could elected officials vote against favorable GLBT legislation because they claimed to not know of GLBT people living in their districts." Isaacs added that through a unique re-granting program, NGLTF gave $5,000 to organizations in all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, for a total of $260,000 disbursed.. ****Enhanced role of GLBT and allied state elected officials in pushing favorable legislation. Passage of Nevada's employment non-discrimination bill and repeal of New Hampshire's adoption ban occurred largely because local GLBT officials were steadfast in pushing these measures through the legislative process. ****Shifting control of governor's seats and state legislatures. Most dramatically, the election of Gov. Gray Davis in California and the takeover of the California Senate by the Democrats resulted in the passage of legislation that otherwise never would have cleared the Senate or would have faced a certain veto. Conversely, in Michigan, conservative Republicans took over both the House and Senate, and have all but killed a measure that would add sexual orientation to the state's hate crimes law. Capital Gains and Losses also looks ahead to likely battlegrounds in the year 2000, and foreshadows areas where the religious right political movement is expected to try to advance its agenda. These areas include: ****Anti-GLBT family legislation. Right-wing activists are pursuing legislation that would prevent GLBT families from adopting children or becoming foster parents. ****Civil rights repeal legislation. Right-wing activists in several states, including Michigan, Pennsylvania and Kentucky, are pursuing a strategy of passing state laws aimed at preventing local communities from adopting nondiscrimination ordinances inclusive of GLBT people. ****Religious liberty legislation. Right-wing activists are pushing for state religious protection laws that could make it more difficult for states to enforce civil rights laws. NGLTF's Lobel predicted that for all of the challenges that lie ahead in the year 2000, victories by the GLBT movement for equality will outnumber defeats. "From hate violence to employment and housing discrimination, from student harassment to adoption and foster care, from domestic partnership benefits to the freedom to marry, state legislators are debating the lives of real people living in real communities dealing with real problems," Lobel said. "The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is committed to devoting the people and resources it takes to empower local activists and organizations to successfully fight for equality, state by state and city by city." Capital Gains and Losses is available for download at www.ngltf.org/pub.html or may be purchased by calling the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force at 202-332-6483. ____________________________________________________________________ Founded in 1973, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force works to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people at the local, state and national level. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society._________________________________________ This message was issued by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Communications Department. If you have a question regarding this post, please direct it to the contact at the top of this message. To reach the NGLTF Communications Department at NGLTF, please call David Elliot, Communications Director, at 202-332-6483 x3303 or pager 800-757-6476. If you wish to UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, please send an email with "UNSUBSCRIBE PRESSLIST" in the subject and body of your email message to . You may also unsubscribe by visiting http://www.ngltf.org.