Some Kansas legislators actually don't condone LGBT discrimination

 ~ Just over an hour ago, Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle released a statement about HB2453, a bill dealing with religious views and gay rights.

“After an initial review, I`ve grown concerned about the practical impact of the bill,” said Wagle. “A strong majority of my members support laws that define traditional marriage, protect religious institutions, and protect individuals from being forced to violate their personal moral values.  However, my members also don`t condone discrimination. If we cannot find ample common round to ease legitimate concerns, I believe a majority of my caucus will not support the bill.”

Equality Kansas and Tom Witt responded with the following statement:

“We are glad Senate President Wagle agrees that certain provisions of HB2453 promote discrimination.  Equality Kansas proposed amendments in the House that we believe would have made the bill more acceptable, and if the Senate chooses to move forward with hearings, we look forward to working with them to draft language that will protect the religious liberties of all Kansans, while at the same time ensuring the dignity of gay and lesbian couples across the state.”

The bill is also known as The Kansas Religious Freedom Act of 2014. See initial coverage in The Gayly February issue on page 21 print issue on stands now.

For information about Equality Kansas, visit www.kansasequalitycoalition.org, or find Equality Kansas on Facebook.