Posted on 07/21/2003 2:39:13 AM PDT by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - Homosexual lawmakers in California are growing increasingly worried that their top legislative priorities this year will be a casualty of the recall campaign against Gov. Gray Davis.
The state Assembly has already passed three bills backed by homosexuals that would expand the rights and responsibilities of domestic partners, require the state to treat homosexuals equally for contracting work and prohibit discrimination based on gender identity.
There are enough votes in the Senate to send the three pieces of legislation to the governor's desk, but lawmakers are concerned that a recall vote might dissuade Davis supporters from pushing for action on the bills.
"The governor has not shown any indication he is moving away from this," Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) said. "But there are a lot of other people who are involved, including the state Senate. If people believe it might be in the best interest of the governor to slow down or even halt this legislation, that would be a terrible thing."
The five-member Legislative Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus publicly opposed the recall two weeks ago, but that was before it appeared certain to take place. Supporters of the movement should find out Thursday if they've collected the 897,158 signatures needed to trigger a recall.
Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), a member of the caucus along with Goldberg, said this year's legislative session has been the most productive ever for homosexuals. Leno said his bill - which fines businesses up to $150,000 for discriminating against transgender individuals - is the closest of the three to Senate approval.
With the legislative session set to end Sept. 12, state senators have a little less than two months to approve the bills and send them to Davis' desk. But in that time, Republicans and Democrats need to reach an agreement on the state budget and a way to resolve the $38 billion deficit.
Leno said it would be a smart political move for Davis to sign the legislation if and when it reaches his desk.
"This is an opportunity for the governor to show his ongoing support for our community. It would actually help to activate his base," Leno said. "These are opportunities for him to get those who are a part of his base excited enough to go out to support him."
But Davis critics, including the Campaign for California Families, which opposes the bills, warned that the governor's support for the homosexual agenda would instead hurt his chances in a recall election.
"California voters are waking up to the truth that Gray Davis and his Democrat colleagues are hurting California," said Randy Thomasson, the group's executive director. "Every statewide Democrat officeholder in California loves abortion and loves the homosexual agenda no matter who it hurts. They're sold out to those special interests to the detriment of California families."
Thomasson said he was encouraged that the legislation might die before making it to Davis' desk. Even though Davis has not indicated whether he supports the three bills, Leno and Goldberg were confident he wouldn't hesitate to sign them.
Geoffrey Kors, executive director of Equality California, which has expressed its own concerns about the recall's impact, said the potential campaign would shift everyone's attention away from legislative business.
"In the months ahead, assuming the recall qualifies and there's an election, the focus of government would move to another statewide election," he said. "Obviously, when there are elections, whether it's the governor's election in California or a presidential election, the focus of elected officials is on their elections."
It also wasn't surprising to Kors that Davis critics have tried to tie his support for homosexuals to the recall effort. During some rallies, protesters have even carried signs calling for the ouster of "Gay Davis."
Leno said the governor should stand by his record, though, even if his critics try to use it to smear his image.
"He has done more with his signature as governor than any governor in the history of the state of California," Leno said. "His adversaries don't like that, and that's certainly part of their assault on him."
See Related Story:
California Recall Proponents Await Word on Signatures (July 18, 2003)
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Sounds good to me!
Remember wasp69, it's always just about the sex
To a mentally healthy person (heterosexual) sex is something they do.
To a mentally diseased person ('homosexual') sex is everything they are
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