Subject: ACTION ALERT: Alaska (2)
From: ACTION ALERT Moderator
Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 17:21:58 -0600 (CST)

[ submitted by [email-masked] (Mark Tumeo) ]

[ Moderator Note:  Alert on SB-308 deleted here, because of previous
  Action Alert on SB-308.  This alert contains a details on HB-226 and
  a FAX number, whereas the previous one did not. ]

HELP NEEDED IN ALASKA 

The Alaska Legislature is on the verge of passing two anti-gay bills. 
HB-226 would gut the Human Rights Act and allow employers to provide
greater benefits to married individuals.  This bill is in response to a law
suit against the University of Alaska in which the court said that the
University must provide the same benefits to domestic partners of employees
as they do to married employees.  The second bill is SB-308, an anti-gay
marriage bill exactly like Colorado's and other places.

We believe the Governor is willing to veto both bills, but he needs to know
how unpopular these bills are.   Below are some of the strong points that
the Governor should consider.

HB-226:
 
1.  HB 226 is outside the spirit and plain language of the state
consntitution.  It's a violatin of the separation of powers for the
legislature to try and enact legislation to influence the outcome of a
pending case.  It is the court's duty to interpret law, not the legislature's

2.  HB 226 in its current form makes an exception to the current human rights 
      law.  It does do by giving employers permission to offer more
benefits to peole who are married and to people that have children than to
people who don't.  It says that it's illegal to discriminate except...If we
begin to make exceptions, where do we stop?
 
3.  Current human rights law prohibits disrimination in the payment of
wages for work of comparable character - equal pay for equal work.  And
benefits are considered a part of wages.  So HB 226 would allow an employer
to pay a married person or a parent more money for the same job than a
single person. That is currently illegal.

<snip SB-308>

Please write, phone and/or FAX the Governor telling him to veto HB-226 and
SB-308 should they reach his desk.   The Governor's address and phone/fax
are:

The Honorable Tony Knowles
Governor, State of Alaska
P.O. Box 110001
Juneau,  Alaska  99811
FAX: 907-465-3532
Phone: 907-465-3500

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