NEWS RELEASE For immediate release Thursday, December 16, 1993 Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats Post Office Box 11311 Salt Lake City, Utah 84147-0311 (801)461-5058 metropolitan Salt Lake City telephone number (800)864-0310 national toll-free telephone number Tear sheet requested a000 rp ^BC-Gay,242< Viatic al bill tops GLUD legislative agenda SALT LAKE CITY - A bill that would allow terminally il l people to sell their life insurance in "viatical settlements" for supplemental income will be the top legislative priority for Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats leaders during the 1994 Utah Legislat ure which convenes on Monday, Jan. 17. The bill is called the "Purchase of Insurance Proceeds" and would overturn a state insurance-department regulation which was adopted last July and banned viatica l-settlements of life insurance. The bill's sponsor, Democratic state Rep. Pete Suazo, called the bill one of his three most important bills this year. "Terminally ill people such as people living with AIDS must be allowed to sell their life insurance for supplemental income to help pay the m ounting costs of their illnesses," GLUD Founder David Nelson said. "Without worrying about th eir financial stability, most terminally ill people can live healthier, longer lives." Nelson helped write the bill and will be a full-time GLUD lobbyist for its passage. "This issue is simply a m atter of Utahns being able to sell their personal property when and to whom they wish," GLUD Executi ve Director Dale Sorenson said. "By selling their life insurance, terminally ill people can actually save the state money by avoiding or delaying their dependance on local and state health-care and inc ome-assistance programs." "We're asking everyone who cares about terminally ill people to call or write to us and their state lawmakers, and ask them to vote for this vital legislation," Nelson said. NEWS RELEASE For immediate release Thursday, December 16, 1993 Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats Post Office Box 11311 Salt Lake City, Utah 84147-0311 (801)461-5058 metropolitan Salt Lake City telephone number (800)864-0310 national toll-free telephone number Tear sheet requested a000 rp ^BC- Gay,204< Orton and Shepherd confirm nondiscrimination policies SALT LAKE CITY - During separate meetings in December with Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats leaders, Democratic U.S. Reps. Bill Orton and Karen Shepherd confirmed that they've adopted policies in their offices which ban employment discrimination against sexual orientation. In her meeting with GLUD leaders, Rep. Shepherd said that she implemented the policy during her first month in office and remains committed to a federal nondiscrimination bill. Reps. Orton and Shepherd confirmed their policies during an effort by the Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights Campaign Fund to have every member of Congress adopt such policies. The effort was in re sponse to three Oklahoma U.S. representatives who announced in October that they wouldn't hi re bisexual, gay or lesbian congressional staffers. "These policies mark a good first step for ever y member of Congress to ban homophobic discrimination," GLUD Executive Director Dale Sorenson said. "With their adoption of these policies, members of Congress will begin to understand how importan t this kind of protection is to us." The Orton and Shepherd policy announcements came during the same week that the White House and the U.S. Department of Justice announced two similar policies which protect employees of the Executive Office of the President and the department including the FBI. NEWS RELEASE For immediate release Thursday, December 16, 1993 Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats Post Office Box 11311 Salt Lake City, Utah 84147-0311 (801)461-5058 metropolitan Salt Lake City telephone number (800)864-0310 national toll-free telephone number Tear sheet requested a000 rp ^BC-Gay,161< GLUD begins fifth year, adds toll-free number SALT LAKE CITY - Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats will mark its fourth anniversary in January by offering its new national toll-free telephone service. The number is (800)864-0310 and lets GLUD supporters outside the metropolitan Salt Lake City calling area learn more about the group and its activities. "This year, we plan to take the success that GLUD has enjoyed during its four years and make it available to everyone in our state and across the United States,"T GLUD Chair Michael Aaron said. "This new service lets rural bisexual, gay and lesbian Utahns stay in touch with our work." Aaron pointed out that the service will help GLUD identify and assist bisexual, gay and lesbian people and their families and friends attend their neighborhood voting-pr ecinct political-party caucuses which are planned for Monday, March 28. "One of our goals for our fifth year is to elect more Democratic convention delegates than ever before. This service will let us do that." The telephone number for local callers remains (801)461-5058. Description Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats is a four-year-old political-action committee serving as a party caucus, fund-raising and volunteer resource, and lobby for bisexual, gay and lesbian people, and our families and friends. For more information, write to Post Office Box 11311, Salt Lake City, Utah 84147-0311, or call (801)461-5058 or (800)864-0310 outside the metropolitan Salt Lake City calling area.