Liveblogging HB 267 hearing

I'm listening to the committee hearing on HB 267 on discrimination.

1500: the bill does not care about what you think your sexuality is. It's about discrimination based on what others perceive your sexuality to be. Rep Johnson cites the case of a LDS Temple Recommend holding father of 5 being fired because he was perceived to be gay because he spoke in an effeminate manner.

1519: sorry. connection went out. rep morley has concern with creating protected class, because it would then discriminate against people not in a class.

1520: public comment period begins.

1524: LaVarr Christensen taking the stand.

1526: LaVarr -- empathy and compassion, blah blah blah.... counters that he never said that amendment 3 would not exclude rights for gays.

1527: lavarr says common ground is goundbreaking. claims that this would be the basis for further rights declared by the courts.

1529: lavarr syas that we can't use civil rights, that that is a protected term.

1530: sue rice gets a turn. small business owner. supports the bill.

1532: bill duncan. attorney. bill has exemption for employers of under 15 employees. concerned about litigation costs, training (isn't this usually covered in sexual harassment). costs of restroom arrangements. religious liberty concerns.

1536: Rev shawn dennison. has seen the effects of discrimination in workplace and housing. "should my landlord learn that I am here and transgendered, I could be evicted in 30 days" (near exact quote). in every religious tradition, leaders are asked to care for the downtrodden, the despised. quotes mosiah 4 from book of mormon.

1541: paul mero's turn. i'll have to transcript it, it was so full of crap. (Paul- if you want to send the text for me, please do so.)

1544: brian horn, lds rm who is gay. jan 10, 2008 -- fired from large credit union. in privately asking if partner could get benefits, got fired because they did "not want his type around."

1547: Gayle Ruzika: my dang internet cut out on me, and I've missed most of her statement. I'll have to transcript it tomorrow, too.

1552: shanna (?): director of hr. discrimination is discrimination. a non-discrimination workplace allows employees to work without fear of being let go for reasons other than their job. this culture also allows them to recruit the best and brightest. if you vote against the bill, you are giving employers permission and endorsing discrimination.

1555: last one is sandra rodriguez, america forever. apologizes to those who think they are hateful. if america ceased to be righteous, america would cease to exist. if you pass bill, you will be endorsing homosexuality. 267 will lead to reading books lke heather has 2 mommies.

1559: rep hansen: people are different. as a government, we are either going to do thing to people, or for people. bill protects him as a heterosexual. two hetersexual men who lived together were targeted as gay in his neighborhood. relates discrimination to mitt romney's problem during election.

1604: rep Jackie Biskupski: if protected classes were a problem, there would be a movement for removal of all protected classes (race, religion, etc)

1606: rep johnson summation: burden of proof is on employee. you can still fire someone, as long as you don't say "you're fired because you're queer." when we create a tolerant work environment, we create a productive work environment. This is not an endorsment of alternative lifestyles. no vote is endorsment of discrimination.

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