Deborah Caplow writes: Reprinted w/o permission from _Seattle Post-Intelligencer_, 4/6/93: A controversial gay-rights bill took a surprising and potentially fatal blow yesterday from the Deomocrat-dominated Senate Ways and Means Committee. Committee Chairwoman Nita Rinehart, D-Seattle, said she did not bring the bill up for approval because she knew it would fall one vote short of passing. The committee's inaction could kill the bill because, under Senate rules, yesterday was the last day for the Ways and Means Committee to pass bills that call for spending more than $50,000. The state Human Rights Commission estimated it would cost about $200,000 in the next two years to enforce the proposed law... The rejection came despite last-minute lobbing by Gov. Mike Lowry (D) and the strongest momentum the long-sougt bill has ever had. It passed the House last month by a wider margin than in 1990 (57-41), and narrowly passed the Senate Law and Justice Committee last week. ...some observers were pronouncing the gay-rights bill dead yesterday. But Rinehard said a funeral was premature. First, the Senate could interpret it own rules in a way that would allow a Senate vote on the bill...any bill considered "necessary to implement the state budget" is not subject to committee deadlines such as yesterday's. Rinehart said the 1993-1995 budget plan...includes money to enforce the gay-rights law. If that doesn't work, the Senate still could vote to revive the bill or attach it as an amendment to another bill. Rep. Cal Anderson, D-Seattle, the bill's sponsor and the state's only openly gay legislator, said he was "devasted" by the Ways and Means Committee's rejection of the bill. Legislators this year have been flooded with calls and letters from prople morally opposed to homosexuality. But many church, community and political leaders support the bill... End citation. NOTE TO THOSE READING THIS IS WASHINGTON STATE: It is of the utmost urgency that you contact your senator in Olympia, today if possible, and urge him or her to do whatever can be done to keep SHB 1443 alive and to ultimately pass it in the Senate. The Legislative Hotline (very busy, be patient) is 1-800-562-6000. To contact your senator directly if you do not already know their number, call the Privacy Fund at 206-292-2486. This is very important. Please call! This is the furthest the bill has gone in the 17 years since its first introduction. The diversion of the bill to the Ways and Means Committee was unexpected; it passed the Law and Justice Cmte. just barely and it was expected to pass or fail in the Senate by 2 votes either way. If this bill does not become law this year, it will be a major victory for the Christian Right in Washington State and a major defeat for us. Passage of this bill will pose a large obstacle in the way of the Citizens' Alliance of Washington (read: Washington's OCA), which is planning an anti-queer initiatve for 1994. Its defeat may clear the way for a long, bloody, and costly fight just as was witnessed in Oregon. The results of that fight are just as in doubt here as in Oregon. Support this bill; your rights depend on it. W A S H I N G T O N S T A T E WASHINGTONIANS PLEASE CALL NOW!!! HOUSE BILL HB1443 Gay Civil Rights bill is being held back. The Privacy Fund of Washington State requests immediate calls to the following representatives in Olympia Washington. The Gay Rights Bill is being held up by the lack of these people voting for the bill. They are instrumental in its passage. Please call within the next 48 hours. Ask them to: "Show leadership on putting the bill through NOW!!!. Call: Senator Majority Leader Marc Gaspard 206-786-7648 28th District Tacoma area Jim Jesernig 206-786-7614 8th District The Tri-Cities Democrat not yet supporting the bill. Dean Sutherland 17th District Vancouver area 206-786-7632