Oregon House to Vote on Gay-Rights Bill

STEVE LAW
Statesman Journal
April 11, 2007
The Oregon House of Representatives will vote for the first time on a bill to grant marriage-style benefits to same-sex couples, and it will vote on a Senate-passed bill that would bar discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Both gay-rights bills advanced to the full House Tuesday after the House Elections, Ethics and Rules Committee passed amendments to address critics' concerns.
House Bill 2007 would enable committed same-sex couples to enter into contractual relationships that grant the same benefits offered to married couples under state law. The House committee stripped the term "civil unions" from the bill, preferring to call the relationships "domestic partnerships."
Senate Bill 2 would ban discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people in employment, housing and access to public accommodations. The committee amended that bill Tuesday evening, after a day of behind-the-scenes talks, to strengthen the exemption for religious groups.
The revisions make it clear that faith groups, including those not tied to a specific church or denomination, could avoid hiring or serving people based on their sexual orientation. Language also was added to make it clear that religious schools, day-care centers, camps, thrift stores, book stores, radio stations and shelters are exempted.
If both bills are signed into law as expected, voters still might have the final say. Despite the changes made Tuesday, Oregon Family Council, which sponsored the gay-marriage ban on the 2004 ballot, may gather signatures to force a public vote on one or both measures, said spokesman Nick Graham.
Some bill supporters said replacing the term civil unions could help the bill weather an expected ballot-measure fight, based on polling results.
Thatcher said she prefers a "reciprocal beneficiaries" bill proposed by some House Republicans. That would allow a more limited range of marriage-style benefits to two people, such as elderly sisters, who live together and depend on each other.

Several gay-rights advocates have been saying there is no way to assuage Oregon Family Council on this issue and expected that one or both measures would wind up on the ballot via a referendum campaign.