Phil Reese tipped me off to the latest anti-gay shenanigans in the Illinois legislature last night. A Democratic State Senate, David Koehler from Peoria, is using a bill to aid blind people (it amends the White Cane Law) to sneak through anti-gay legislation. This new legislation would weaken the state's new civil unions law, which Governor Quinn just signed on January 31st. Just when you think the homophobes can't sink any lower, they try to hide their anti-gay language in a bill to aid the blind. That's sick.
Phil explained the situation in a post at Bilerico:
I've seen the face of evil, and it is the cunning Illinois GOP.If you live in Illinois, you really need to call your legislators. There could be a vote in the Senate committee tomorrow and a floor vote by Friday. Koehler is apparently betting that legislators won't vote against a bill for the blind, even if it includes homophobic legislation. Seriously sick.
hidden carefully by Sen David Koehler in SB 1123, a bill to assist the blind - like an arsenic pill hidden in a crême brulé - beneath text allowing for raises for County Clerks, the Conservatives waited until 5pm today, in the 11th hour of this bill before its Wednesday committee vote, to slide in amendments that seek to do everything possible to tear apart the lives of LGBT people in Illinois.
We're talking insidious here.
The bill would amend the recently passed civil unions bill in Illinois to not only allow adoption agencies to discriminate against lesbian, gay and bisexual people in the adoption process - something currently illegal in Illinois currently, and has been Illegal for years with no negative consequences - the bill would also dismantle the Human Rights Act in the most dastardly way.
Religious institutions would be able to discriminate in these matters against anyone for any religiously motivated reason. Race, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, it doesn't matter. The GOP wants you out of the job if they don't like the cut of your jib. This law that protects us from discrimination from our state-funded and regulated institutions was amended to include sexual orientation and gender identity in 2005, and the far right has been seething since. Now is their chance.
The ACLU of Illinois prepared a fact sheet on Koehler's amendment, which Phil included in his post. Here's the intro:
Amends the Civil Union Act to allow religiously affiliated child welfare agencies to discriminate against parties to a civil union and to refer the parties to a civil union to DCFS for information concerning non-discriminatory child welfare agencies for adoption or foster family home applications, licensure and placements.Phil provide the contact information for State Senators:
Get on the phone right this moment and ask for your Illinois Senator at 217-782-3944.The message is: Vote No on Senator Koehler's Amendment 1 to SB 1123.
Phil also included some background on the mastermind behind this scheme:
It should be noted that Sen Koehler--the bill's sponsor and amendment author--has a lesbian daughter that just got engaged. I wonder why this man would sponsor a bill that would prevent his daughter from adopting.And, wonder why this man would hide this nasty bill in legislation aimed at helping the blind.
All you Illinois folks need to call your Senators today. And, tomorrow: 217-782-3944
