The gay rights bill in Rhode Island has already gotten
farther this year than ever before, and we're holding our
breath waiting to see if the thing can maintain its momentum.
*
  In previous years, the influential and gay-friendly Chair
of the House Judiciary Committee, Jeffrey Teitz of Newport,
has always counseled us to accept a "half-loaf" bill covering
only credit and public accommodations, and wait till later
years for the bread-and-butter issues of housing and employment.
In our most recent near-miss, two years ago, it was just such
a half-loaf bill that was defeated on the House floor in a
tie vote.
*
  This year, however, with the skillful aid of our principal House
sponsor, Frank Gaschen, the House Judiciary Committee voted 9-1
to send the whole bill to the floor of the House. We expect a vote
in that chamber within a week or two.
*
  In the Senate, the situation is not so favorable. You may
remember that we were completely stymied last year when Thomas Lynch,
the homophobic Chair of Senate Judiciary, called a vote when all the
supporters of the bill, including its principal sponsor, were
out of town or out of the room. This year we have two enthusiastic
fresh(wo)man senators as principal sponsors, Senators Myrth York
and Rhoda Perry, working their butts off to make all the contacts
and get the bill through the committee process and the ensuing floor
debate. On the recommendation of Senator John Bevilacqua, Majority
Leader, we got the bill into Finance instead of Judiciary, where
we would have a marginally better lineup. Sen. Bevilacqua has
assured us that he would make use of his ex-officio vote on the
committee to support the bill when it came up. Today we had a
hearing in Senate Finance, just eight days after our performance
in House Judiciary. Christopher Burke, President of the RI Alliance
for L&G Civil Rights, remarked that it was a class act both times,
making the "Christo-fascists" on the other side of the issue
look like the rankest amateurs. Our position was helped considerably
by a very strong letter from the Governor, as well as one from the
Attorney General, both read before the committee today.
*
  Whatever success we have is due to the amazing amount of work
put in by: our previous VP for Lobbying & Campaigns, Michael Thompson;
our current VP for L&C, Julie Pell, member of a well-known political
family in the state, who has spoken to just about every one of the
150 members of the General Assembly; and Jim Stascavage, a newcomer
to the state, who has pitched in and coordinated all our contacts
with potential testifiers.
*
  Wish us luck!
                                                                   jdL