Oregon legislators will hear the first public testimony Monday on two bills that seek to extend state anti-discrimination laws to cover “sexual orientation” and to make same-sex civil unions legal.
Following the public hearings, the Elections, Ethics and Rules Committee will hold a work session for each bill before moving it to the floor of the House.
Brian Boyd, Basic Rights Oregon spokesman, said his organization isn’t expecting a long wait.
“We expect to see the bills voted out of committee and pass into the House,” Boyd said. “We’re hoping by the end of May to have these bills looked at by the legislators.”
The Oregon Equality Act (Senate Bill 2), first proposed in the Oregon Senate, prohibits statewide discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing, employment, education, public accommodation and public services. Currently, anti-discrimination laws for sexual orientation exist only in Multnomah and Benton counties and in 10 cities, including Eugene, Corvallis, Bend, Salem and Portland.
The Oregon Family Fairness Act (House Bill 2007) would recognize same-sex couples through civil unions and grant legal protections and responsibilities similar to rights given to heterosexual married couples, according to a bill summary.
The last attempt to create civil unions was Senate Bill 1000 in 2005, which passed the Oregon Senate but died in the then-Republican-controlled Oregon House.
Boyd previously told the Emerald that Basic Rights Oregon views the Oregon Family Fairness Act as a rebuke to the constitutional amendment passed via Measure 36 that prohibited same-sex marriage. Not surprisingly, the sponsor of that 2004 ballot initiative, the Oregon Family Coalition, is seeking amendments to both bills.
Spokesman Nick Graham said OFC is not in total opposition to the bills and said that the current proposal on civil unions bares little resemblance to Senate Bill 1000. Nevertheless, the organization is pushing for the inclusion of “reciprocal benefits” for non-sexual domestic partnerships that would not be eligible for marriage.
Graham used an example of two sisters maintaining a joint household.
“They ought to look at what other Oregon families could benefit from civil unions,” he said.
These civil unions would not be available for monogamous heterosexual couples, Graham said, because marriage is already available to them.
The OCF is also seeking to amend the anti-discrimnation bill to include greater exemptions for religious institutions. Currently the bill makes limited exemptions for churches, but Graham said that his organization will be lobbying for exclusions within non-church religious organizations.
More than 500 clergy members will be in Salem lobbying for these changes Thursday, Graham said.
“This is a very big deal, something (the legislators) could easily change without affecting the integrity of the bill,” he said.
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What are the bills?
Oregon Family Fairness Act (House Bill 2007) – Establishes requirements and procedures for entering into civil union contract between individuals of same sex.
Oregon Equality Act (Senate Bill 2) – Prohibits, in specified areas of law, discrimination against persons based on sexual orientation.
Elections, Ethics and Rules Committee Hearing
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Date: April 9
Time: 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Room: HR E, State Capitol
Staff requests that you submit 20 collated copies of written materials at the time of your testimony. The committee office can be reached by phone at (503) 986-1673.