Equality Kansas, Kansas Equality PAC condemn house action legalizing discrimination

House Bill 2453 will allow government employees to deny service to same-sex couples

Topeka, Kans. - Equality Kansas (formerly Kansas Equality Coalition), and the affiliated Kansas Equality Political Action Committee condemn today`s action in the Kansas House of Representatives.

“Kansans across the state are rightly appalled that legislators are spending their efforts to pass yet another piece of legislation that seeks to enshrine discrimination against gay and lesbian people into law,” said Sandra Meade, state chair of Equality Kansas. “HB 2453 is a blatant attempt to maintain second class citizen status for tax paying gay and lesbian Kansans.”

HB2453, known as the 2014 Religious Freedom Act, will allow employees of all government agencies, the courts, schools, and law enforcement, to treat legal marriages as invalid. During the House debate yesterday, February 11, amendments offered by a Republican legislator would have inserted a provision requiring all agencies of Kansas government to serve all Kansans, regardless of sexual orientation or marital status. The amendments failed to draw public support from any Democratic members of the House.

“What is most disappointing about the House vote to pass this bill isn`t the vote of the conservatives who we know must appease their extremist base, but the lack of public action to oppose or amend the bill by those legislators who claim they sincerely oppose it,” Meade said.

In a written statement provided to the media after yesterday`s debate, Democratic House Leader Paul Davis did not address the substance of the bill, and instead passed it off as a distraction to “the real, growing crises at hand.”

“It`s unfortunate that discrimination against LGBT Kansans is seen as a distraction for the Democratic leadership, rather than a call to action,” Meade said.

“Kansas Equality PAC is dedicated to endorsing candidates for office who support LGBT Kansans and work to make Kansas free from discrimination,” said Ryon Carey, president of the Kansas Equality Political Action Committee. “We are very grateful to the work of Republican representative Don Hill, who worked to make certain that Kansans wouldn`t be denied government services because of their sexual orientation. We will, of course endorse the candidacies of all lawmakers who support fairness and equality, be they Republican, Democratic, or any other party,” Carey said. “In the coming months, we will continue to discuss our potential endorsements for Governor and other state legislators,” he said.

The Gayly – February 12, 2014 @ 3:25pm