Friday, December 10, 1999
N.Ky. lawmakers' bill would prohibit local gay-rights laws
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
TAYLOR MILL — Two Northern Kentucky state lawmakers will lead a bipartisan push to prohibit local governments from enacting ordinances designed to prevent discrimination against gays.
Reps. Tom Kerr, D-Taylor Mill, and Joe Fischer, R-Fort Thomas, say they will co-sponsor the bill during the General Assembly session that begins Jan. 4.
The legislation is prompted by passage of so-called gay-rights ordinances in Louisville, Lexington, Jefferson County and Henderson.
Louisville banned discrimination in employment. Henderson, Lexington and Jefferson County went further, outlawing discrimination in employment, housing and pub lic accommodations such as restaurants and hotels.
So far, no cities in Northern Kentucky have dealt with the issue. But the lawmakers want legislation that would make such ordinances illegal in Kentucky.
Such a law is needed, the legislators argue, because gays do not belong to a group that deserves or needs special rights.
“Civil rights are the inalienable endowments of God, and they should not depend on what city or county one lives in,” Mr. Fischer said. “Civil rights are universal things, and should be treated as such under the law.
“If some folks get special rights, then everybody is entitled to special rights,” he said.
Mr. Kerr said gay-rights ordinances give special rights to homosexuals.
“It's granting rights to a group that is not recognized in federal or state law as a group which is deserving of protection, that needs protection, under the law,” he said.
“I'm normally in favor of local control, and for the most part I hate to see the state tell cities they can't do certain things,” Mr. Kerr added. “But we've done that in other cases, like in gun control legislation that doesn't allow cities to make their own laws. And I think it's appropriate with this issue as well.”
Mr. Kerr has asked the Legislative Research Commission, the administrative arm of the General Assembly, to draft a bill that would ban local governments from passing or enacting gay-rights ordinances.
But a Democratic lawmaker from Lexington is drafting a bill that would afford protection for gays under state law. Rep. Kathy Stein has proposed legislation that would prohibit discrimination against gays in housing and employment.
“A majority of Kentucky citizens recognize that it is not right to discriminate against any of our citizens based upon sexual orientation,” Ms. Stein said.
However, with a strong conservative faction of both parties in the General Assembly, and the Senate now under control of the Republican Party, Ms. Stein admits that her bill may have a hard time.
“More than likely, we will go forward with it, but I'm not for sure,” she said.
Sen. Dick Roeding, R-Lakeside Park, who will be elected to Senate majority leadership when the legislature convenes, thinks the bill being drafted by Mr. Kerr and Mr. Fischer will be approved.
Supporters of the bill are concerned about equity and aren't promoting the bill because they oppose a homosexual lifestyle, he said.
“I don't think any group should have special rights,” Mr. Roeding said.
“It appears that (the bill) probably wouldn't run into much opposition from either party,” Mr. Kerr said.
Mr. Kerr added that he is not sure how the bill will affect the gay-rights ordinances already in effect. “That's something we're going to have to find out.”
Gay-rights advocates say they will watch the bills closely.
“The focus is really looking toward Frankfort right now,” said Maria Price, spokeswoman for the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, a gay-rights organization based in Louisville.
The Associated Press contributed.
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