POLITICAL UPDATE from the Human Rights Campaign 919 18th Street
NW Washington, DC 20006 email: hrc@hrc.org Take Action At: http://www.hrc.org/actioncenter/ ___________________________________________________________________
HRC
POLITICAL EQUALITY UPDATE
LEGISLATIVE AND ELECTORAL NEWS FROM THE HUMAN
RIGHTS CAMPAIGN
1. HRC Applauds Justice
Department for Bringing Federal Indictment in Double Murder of Lesbian
Hikers
2. HRC Releases Congressional Scorecard for
First Session of the 107th Congress
3. House
Members on the Move; How Do They Rate with HRC?
4. HRC
Hosts PACHA Executive Director Pat Ware and NORA Coalition
5. AIDS Watch to be held June 9-11 in Washington,
D.C.
6. State Legislation
Roundup
7. Anti-GLBT Ballot Measures in
2002
8. About HRC Political Equality
Update
1. HRC APPLAUDS JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FOR BRINGING FEDERAL
INDICTMENT IN DOUBLE MURDER OF LESBIAN HIKERS
The Human Rights
Campaign applauded on April 10 Attorney General John Ashcroft and the Justice
Department for invoking the Hate Crimes Sentencing Enhancement Act in the
indictment of Darrell David Rice for the 1996 slaying of two female hikers in
Shenandoah National Park, Va. The indictment marks the first time ever
that the act was implemented to charges someone with a hate crime based on
sexual orientation or gender. The Hate Crimes Sentencing Enhancement Act
covers only crimes committed on federal property. It would have been
impossible for the Justice Department to invoke the act had the murders been
committed of the national park, which is federal land.
On June 1,
1996, Julianne Marie Williams and Laura Winans were discovered dead in
Virginia's mountainous Shenandoah National Park, bound and gagged with their
throats slit. Rice was indicted April 10 by a grand jury in Charlottesville,
Va., charged with four counts of capital murder, two of which allege that he
chose his victims because of their gender and sexual orientation. The Hate
Crimes Sentencing Enhancement Act was passed as a part of the Violent Crime
Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. The law directs the U.S. Sentencing
Commission to provide sentencing enhancements of "not less than three offense
levels" for crimes that are found beyond a reasonable doubt to be hate
crimes.
While the Hate Crimes Sentencing Enhancement Act is an important
tool for law enforcement, its opportunity for application is limited to
crimes that were committed on federal property. The Local Law Enforcement
Enhancement Act would ensure that federal resources are made available to
local law enforcement to prosecute a hate crime wherever it occurs.
The FBI Uniform Crime Reports for 2000, the latest year for which
national statistics are available, showed that, as overall serious crime
decreased slightly, with the crime index at its lowest level since 1978,
reported hate crimes have continued to rise. In fact, hate crimes have
increased 2.3 percent from 1999 to 2000. Reported hate crimes based on sexual
orientation have more than tripled since the FBI began collecting statistics
in 1991 and comprise 16.1 percent of all hate crimes reported in 2000. Hate
crimes based on sexual orientation continue to make up the third highest
category after race and religion, which make up 53.8 percent and 18.3
percent, respectively.
To read the full press release for this story,
visit:
2. HRC RELEASES CONGRESSIONAL SCORECARD FOR FIRST SESSION OF 107TH
CONGRESS
The Human Rights Campaign released its scorecard for the first
session of the 107th Congress. This scorecard is considered a critical tool
for judging how members of Congress vote on gay and lesbian issues
and assessing the level of support for these issues in Congress.
HRC's
scorecard shows an encouraging trend toward more broad-based support for gay
and lesbian issues on Capitol Hill. For example, the
Employment Non-Discrimination Act (S. 1284, H.R. 2692) and the Local Law
Enforcement Enhancement Act (S. 625, H.R. 1343) today boast the highest
numbers of cosponsors in history.
A total of 198 members of Congress
scored a perfect 100 percent on the scorecard, up from 161 members in 2000
and 136 in 1998. The scorecard also shows that support for gay and lesbian
issues is coming from both sides of the aisle as 14 Republican members of
Congress scored 80 percent or above.
HRC's ratings were based on
cosponsorship of ENDA and the LLEEA, formerly known as the Hate Crimes
Prevention Act. Other factors included whether congressional offices offered
non-discrimination policies and how lawmakers voted on important issues such
as needle exchange programs and domestic partnership benefits in the District
of Columbia.
To download the 107th first session congressional scorecard
visit:
3. HOUSE MEMBERS ON THE MOVE; HOW DO
THEY RATE WITH HRC?
In the 2002 elections, at least 15 current members
of the House of Representatives are seeking the office of governor orsenator
in their states. As these members try to move to the statehouse or the
Senate, readers of Equality Update may be interested to know how each scored
with HRC in the 106th Congress (1999-2000). Their scores are below. This
listing should not be construed as HRC endorsements for or against any of
these candidates.
Representative Senate/Governor HRC Score
in 106th
Rep. Bob Riley, R-Ala. candidate for
governor 0 percent
Rep. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.
candidate for Senate 0 percent
Rep. Rod Blagojevich, D-Ill.
candidate for governor 90 percent
Rep. Greg Ganske, R-Iowa
candidate for Senate 20 percent
Rep. John Cooksey, R-La. candidate
for Senate 30 percent
Rep. Robert Ehrlich Jr., R-Md. candidate for
governor 10 percent
Rep. John Baldacci, D-Maine candidate for
governor 100 percent
Rep. David Bonior, D-Mich. candidate for
governor 100 percent
Rep. John Sununu, R-N.H. candidate for Senate
0 percent
Rep. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. candidate for Senate
0 percent
Rep. John Thune, R-S.D. candidate for Senate
0 percent
Rep. Van Hilleary, R-Tenn. candidate for
governor 0 percent
Rep. Bob Clement, D-Tenn. candidate
for Senate 50 percent
Rep. Ed Bryant, R-Tenn. candidate for Senate
0 percent
Rep. Tom Barrett, D-Wis. candidate for Senate 100
percent
4. HRC HOSTS PACHA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PAT WARE AND NORA
COALITION
HRC hosted Pat Ware, the executive director of the Presidential
Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA), at the monthly meeting of the
National Organizations Responding to AIDS coalition in Washington, D.C.
Ware discussed the first meeting of PACHA, which occurred in March.
She mentioned that the co-chairs of PACHA, former Rep. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.
and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Louis Sullivan, would
soon release a letter to the president about PACHA's agenda. Ware also told
the meeting attendees that PACHA would form committees on
prevention, international issues and treatment and care issues. She also
stated her belief that her job was not to develop policy for the council
or administration but to be available for the council. HRC, together with
our community allies, offered to be a resource for the council as they
tackle difficult issues, such as adequate funding for federal HIV/AIDS
programs, prevention among gay and bisexual men and abstinence-only until
marriage programs.
In related-HIV/AIDS news, Sir Elton John testified
at a Senate hearing on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. He called on the United
States to increase U.S. international HIV/AIDS spending in fiscal year
2003. At the hearing, he said, "No nation, corporation, foundation or
individual has the money you have. No one even comes close." HRC staff talked
briefly with Sir Elton at a Capitol Hill breakfast about his longtime work on
issues surrounding HIV/AIDS and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
equality.
5. AIDS WATCH TO BE HELD JUNE 9-11 IN WASHINGTON,
D.C.
AIDS Watch, an annual event coordinated and sponsored by the
National Association of People With AIDS, will be held in Washington, D.C.,
June 9-11. HRC proudly supports this program, which raises visibility
and lobbies targeted members of Congress on important HIV/AIDS issues.
Thanks to Equal Rights Colorado's hard lobbying
and organizing efforts, the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee voted 4-3 on
April 10 to "postpone indefinitely" House Bill 1356 after hearing only 30
minutes of testimony on the measure. That bill would have prohibited the
state from issuing birth certificates with same-sex couples listed as the
child's parents. Just last month, the House committee approved the
measure, and it passed the full House by a 36-28 vote. Equal Rights Colorado,
the GLBT state lobby group, can be reached at 303/223-1124. Visit their
website at:
The Florida Legislature did not act this
year on the Dignity for All Students Act, a safe schools bill that would have
outlawed harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation in the
public school system. State Sen. Skip Campbell, who sponsored the measure,
instead offered one part of the legislation, which would include sexual
orientation and gender identity in school diversity and tolerance education,
as an amendment to the state's omnibus education bill. Gov. Jeb Bush, R,
called a special session April 1 through April 5 to work on the education
bill. Although Campbell's amendment passed the Senate with a voice vote and
was slated to be a part of the final education bill, the entire bill was
scrapped due to amendments proposed by extremist members, including one that
would have allowed students to leave guns in locked cars. Bush is expected to
call another special session to work on passing an education bill. HRC
has partnered with Equality Florida and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight
Education Network to educate and activate citizens through action alerts. To
write a letter to your representative to ask him or her to support the gay-
and transgender-friendly amendment, contact Equality Florida at:
On April 10, a hearing was held
before the Public Service Committee of the Massachusetts Legislature on H
4840, a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban legal recognition of
same-sex relationships in the state. Lesbian, gay and allied speakers,
including church leaders, dominated the opposition to H 4840. The committee
must issue a report on the bill by April 24. Right-wing groups gathered
enough signatures last year to place the question on the November 2004
ballot, pending approval in two successive legislative sessions by 25 percent
of the state Legislature. This is the first legislative session in which
approval for the measure has been sought. HRC is working with groups in
Massachusetts to encourage residents to contact their state legislators. For
more information, please contact Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts
at info@equalmarriage.org or 617/649-0234.
Visit their website at:
A crowd of 650 people gathered April 10
at the state Capitol in Lincoln, Neb., to draw attention to anti-GLBT
workplace discrimination and Legislative Bill 19, an employment
non-discrimination bill that is currently pending in the Legislature. "Hands
Around the Capitol" was a peaceful demonstration that focused on the
non-discrimination measure, which would prohibit job discrimination based on
sexual orientation. State Sen. Ernie Chambers, lead sponsor of the bill, and
Michael Gordon, of Citizens for Equal Protection, spoke in support of L.B.
19. Contact CEP at http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Village/3805/ or at 402/398-3027.
Pennsylvania
The hate crimes
bill that would amend the state's Ethnic Intimidation Act to include sexual
orientation and gender identity, H 1493, was recently moved from the Rules
Committee of the House of Representatives to the Judiciary Committee. In
March 2001, the bill passed the Senate by a 32-15 vote. It was then referred
to the Rules Committee, where it remained for nine months. The committee move
makes it all the more important for constituents to contact their state
representatives. For more information, please contact the Center for Lesbian
and Gay Civil Rights at c4crinfo@center4civilrights.org,
215/731-1447 or http://www.center4civilrights.org. Or
contact the Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition at sparc@sparc-pa.org, 717/624-3335
or http://www.sparc-pa.org.
7.
ANTI-GLBT BALLOT MEASURES IN 2002
Campaigns in Nevada, Florida and
Michigan are working to defeat anti-GLBT measures scheduled to appear on fall
2002 ballots. HRC is working with state and local activists to ensure that
voters are aware of the issues threatening the GLBT community in their
area.
Nevada
In Nevada, voters will vote yea or nay in a final
vote on a state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Equal
Rights Nevada is running the campaign against this measure and can be reached
at http://www.equalrightsnevada.org or
702/650-9141.
Florida
In Florida, a campaign is working to
preserve Miami-Dade County's ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on
sexual orientation. The 3- year-old amendment that extends basic civil and
human rights protections will be challenged on the Sept. 10 referendum. Save
Dade, the local campaign working against the anti-gay referendum, can be
reached at http://www.savedade.org or 305/751-SAVE
(7283).
Michigan
In Michigan, the Ypsilanti Campaign for Equality
is working against the attempted repeal of the local ordinance that bans
discrimination based on sexual orientation. Contact the campaign at
734/480-3988 or http://www.ycfe.org
Other
States
Statewide groups in Oregon and Maine are gearing up for campaigns.
Anti-gay activists in both states are collecting signatures in attempts to
place measures on state or local ballots. For more information, contact
Basic Rights Oregon at www.basicrights.org the Maine Lesbian and
Gay Political Alliance at mlgpa@javanet.com.
8. ABOUT
HRC POLITICAL EQUALITY UPDATE
While the ways of Washington often seem
slow and sometimes confusing, plenty of action occurs on issues of great
importance to GLBT Americans. Bills are introduced. Committees conduct
hearings. Allies pledge support.
Opponents and supporters write
"dear colleague letters." Candidates declare their intention to run. And
endorsements come down and history is made, all the while affecting our
community. Similar activity occurs at the state level. HRC is helping to make
progress locally through close partnerships with statewide GLBT advocacy
groups.
With the HRC Political Equality Update, HRC hopes to keep
interested parties aware of our work in the legislative, electoral and state
arenas -- with our audience consisting of HRC members, community activists,
Capitol Hill staff, contributors and more. This publication serves as a
regular update on political activities of the previous weeks, and the actions
of our allies, adversaries and endorsees. We envision a publication that
is short and timely, filled with updates, rather than extensive
backgrounds, or news re-reported from other GLBT press sources.
Thank you for your interest in HRC's political work. For more
information on HRC's work, go to http://www.hrc.org.