Subject: HB 485 (Kentucky)
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 11:14:54 EST

Exclusive from The Letter - Kentucky's gay, lesbian, bisexual & transgender 
newspaper.

Fairness Laws Would Be Nullified by New Proposal

[some information provided by Jeff Jones and Maria Price]

(Louisville, Jan. 20, 2000).  A bill seeking to nullify the four local 
Fairness laws passed last year in Kentucky was introduced to the Kentucky 
General Assembly Jan. 27.  HB 485 would effectively eliminate the ordinances 
and prohibit Kentucky municipalities and counties from passing similar 
legislation in the future unless the General Assembly approves.

Religious right leaders in Maine attempted to have a similar proposal enacted 
through a state referendum in 1995, but voters turned down the idea.

On its surface, HB 485 would seem to be innocuous.  Its purpose, as its title 
maintains, is "...to promote the uniform application of civil rights laws in 
the Commonwealth."  But it would in effect cement in place only those 
protected categories already covered:  familial status, race, color, 
religion, national origin, sex, age forty (40) and over, and disability.  
Sexual orientation would be ignored.

HB 485 goes further by eliminating local option on civil rights from the 
purview of Kentucky counties and municipalities, and making the state's four 
Fairness laws "void and unenforceable."

"This bill is clearly a reactionary effort to the fact that the tide is 
turning in Kentucky and these lawmakers want to squelch the voices of 
justice," says Maria Price, lobbyist for the Kentucky Fairness Alliance.  
Unfortunately, she notes, the bill appears to have a lot of support.

HB 485 is the most spectacular item on the religious right's statewide 
political agenda this year.  Other bills seek to prohibit the teaching of 
evolution and safe-sex practices in the public schools, tighten abortion 
rights, and knock a hole in the state civil rights laws.  All measures have 
the active support of the state's large fundamentalist Christian population.

HB 70, the Kerr Bill, is an attempt to water down certain provisions in the 
state's civil rights statutes.  It would exempt religious nonprofit worship 
and recreational activities and facilities from the definition of "public 
accommodation, resort, or amusement."  Main focus is church-run camps, but 
critics charge it could include day-care centers and even soup kitchens.  It 
was voted out of committee Jan. 13 for consideration by the full house and is 
currently being debated.  Several amendments that would water down its 
effects have been proposed.

To voice your opinion on any of these measures, call your state 
representative or senator now, toll-free, at 1-800-372-7181.  To find out the 
status of a bill, call toll-free 1-800-701-1488.  The toll-free TTY number 
for the hearing-impaired is 1-800-896-0305.

Letters are also very effective.  To contact your senator or representative, 
write to them at State Capitol, Frankfort, KY 40601.