The Oregon Family Fairness Act (HB 2007) passed with a 34-26 vote, and The Oregon Equality Act (SB 2) passed with a 35-25 vote in the Oregon House yesterday.
“Freedom from discrimination enables people to learn, work, contribute and achieve,” said State Representative David Edwards (D-Hillsboro) during the floor debate. “To be deprived of it is a kind of excommunication from society and its rewards. When it comes to basic rights, everyone should count with the same weight.”
HB 2007 will provide same-sex couples with domestic partnerships. These domestic partnerships will give gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transvestite families over 500 rights, protections and responsibilities. Many of these rights are similar to rights offered to married couples, such as joint health care and joint auto insurance.
SB 2 will prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in areas of housing, employment, public education, public accommodation and public services.
Representative Dennis Richardson (R-Central Point) has firmly opposed SB 2 and voiced his argument against the bill.
“I am willing to tolerate another person’s sexual preferences, but I am unwilling to use the force of governmental power to elevate that person’s sexual preferences, appearance and behavior above the religious, commercial, educational, residential and personal freedoms of the majority of Oregonians,” Rep. Richardson said recently in his newsletter titled “Gay Rights, Civil Rights and Citizen Rights.”
HB 2007 will now move on to the Senate for committee hearing and a floor vote. SB 2 has already passed a Senate vote 21-7, and will head back to the Senate for a concurrence vote on amendments to the religious exemption made in the House Rules Committee.
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