Date: Mon, 30 Jan 1995 02:05:51 -0600 (CST)
From: Kevyn Jacobs <kevyn@ksu.edu>
Subject: Equality Kansas News

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 1995 17:58:41 -0600 (CST)
From: Doug Glaze <glazedou@acc.wuacc.edu>
Subject: Equality Kansas (fwd)


> "What's up with Cornfield and the legislation from last year?
> Shallenberger is now speaker and he was a co-sponsor, wasn't he?
> What's the status on Equality Kansas? "

Equality Kansas is alive and well, if quiet for the time being. For now
this is appropriate, given that the legislature is quiet as well. I can
guarantee you, though, this will not be the case for long.

Currently Shallenburger, Cornfield, and other House conservatives are in
the process of coalescing their majority in that body. Several key
committees in the House have been re-organized to suit the conservatives,
including appointing several very anti-Gay legislators as chairpersons.
The Judiciary committee in particular has been reshaped in the
conservative mold, and we expect it to be a major source of anti-Gay
and anti-choice legislation this year, replacing Ways and Means as the
vehicle for such legislation.

Last year's "Cornfield Resolution", which Shallenburger did co-sponsor,
has not been introduced or officially circulated, though there are
reports (unconfirmed) that there are plans in the works to do just that.
Should that happen, there is no doubt that it will pass the House.
Moderate Democrats and Republicans in the House that supported us last
year in our efforts against this Resolution have expressed their concern
over last year's elections when we have contacted them this year, and do
not feel they can support our opposition again this year if it is
introduced. (Even if they had the numbers to effectively oppose it, which
they don't.)

Currently the newly-elected conservative bloc in the House is
pre-occupied, also, with Republican party politics. The GOP is holding
their state convention in Topeka later this week, and conservatives are
busy scrambling for key positions. There is little doubt that some sort
of rift between the moderate and conservative wings of the GOP will
develop, the only thing that remains to be seen is the extent of this
rift. It is our hope that this rift will be substantial and cripple any
hope the conservatives have of expanding their agenda for this session.
However, as the convention draws nearer, this hope grows smaller.
Shallenburger and other conservatives appear to be working v. hard to
appeal to the moderates to form a intra-party coalition (witness the
various declarations by the Speaker and others that "social issues" will
not dominate the House this year.) Critical to the conservative's efforts
in the House this year will be their attempt to install one of their own
as state GOP chair.

Once the House is coordinated enough to actually begin pushing
legislation, it is likely during the first few months of session (with
luck, until April or May) that the conservatives will restrain their
social agenda in an effort to soothe the toes they've stepped on during
Dec. and January. Shallenburger and most of the conservative leadership
in the House know the importance of appearing moderate, and will likely
work to make this happen, but Cornfield, O'Connor, and other conservative
'hotshots' are known for being unable to restrain themselves, esp. when
dealing with Gay issues. If radically anti-Gay legislation is introduced
in the next month or two it will likely be the result of this type of
legislator. However, if any social issue comes to the forefront of the
House soon, I look for it to be the abortion issue. Already there are
grumblings of discontent in the House GOP about leadership appeals for
restraint on this issue. With any luck, it will split them and thus
pre-occupy them for some time to come.

Know that once anti-Gay legislation is introduced (and it is only a
matter of time) it will almost certainly pass with little press and
little debate (barring our efforts.)  Of course, passing the House does
not make a bill law. The Senate is still dominated by moderate
Republicans, who were not up for election last year. They WILL BE up for
re-election in '96, though, and they will be under enormous pressure from
the conservatives to give their consent to their proposals.

Thus, we are concentrating our lobbying efforts in the Capitol in the
Senate this year, and are encouraging our members to contact their
Senators and urge them to reject conservative social proposals. Our
efforts in the House will continue, though will be primarily restricted
to observing.  We do not have an "official" lobbyist in the Capitol at
this time, but do have two individuals who devote a great deal of their
time 'keeping an eye out' for dangerous proposals in committee. (This is
extremely difficult, as the leadership controls the agenda and timing of
all bills, making it possible for them to 'spring' bills very fast.) In
addition, we are maintaining very close contact with
lobbyists from the Pro-Choice Action League, N.O.W., and the A.C.L.U.,
all state-wide groups with extensive expertise in dealing with the
legislature and empathetic to our situation. Hopefully by relying upon
such informal contacts at this relatively quiet time we can reserve our
limited resources until a more critical time.

Speaking of limited resources, I have noticed increasing pressure from
EKS members for action. I know it is frustrating, being put in the
position of "wait and see," esp. when you KNOW the axe is going to fall.
However, given the extremely limited nature of our resources (money,
people, money, time, and money again) and the lack of ANY effective
opposition with which we can ally ourselves, it is what we must do. As
flattering as it may be, I believe many members have an inflated idea of
what EKS is and what it can accomplish, esp. given the current
legislative situation.  Our success last year has fueled expectations of
similar success this year. I do not rule out such success this year, but
the situation is vastly different. Additionally, last year we had the
advantage of having a definite proposal from the conservatives to 'rally
around.' At this time, without such a proposal as of yet, quite frankly
people are apathetic. It is difficult to organize against an abstraction
like the 'conservatives.'

Nevertheless, we ARE organizing. Our success last year was primarily the
result of timing, of being in the right place at the right time.  Timing
is even more critical this year, and we are committed to getting it
right.

That doesn't mean there isn't anything to do. EKS has always been nothing
more than a coalition of organizations, businesses, and individuals who
are working on their own towards a common goal. Please encourage your
friends to write their state senators, organize a letter-writing party,
plan a trip to the capitol, and join a local organization working on the
same goals. That is the kind of work that will make the difference when
the time comes.

I know this is probably much more (and definitely windier!) than you
wanted, but there are several other people who have posted in the past
week or two wanting similar information. I hope I've covered all the
bases. If you have any other questions, I will try to answer them quicker
and in a shorter fashion.

Doug Glaze
Chair, Equality Kansas