[Vision2020] Council panel wants state to butt out of city business

[Moscow Cares]

Courtesy of today's (February 11, 2014) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

-----------------------------------

Council panel wants state to butt out of city business
Moscow concerned about legislative efforts to void local LGBT anti-discrimination laws
The Administrative Committee of the Moscow City Council recommended Monday afternoon that the full council oppose two state bills aiming to void local laws against discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Ken Faunce, chair of the city Human Rights Commission, told the committee state legislators are trying to make Moscow's ordinance - and other similar local laws - "unenforceable or ineffective."
The commission sent a letter to Mayor Bill Lambert and the six council members to detail their concerns about the effects the bills could have on the community. It seeks their support to thwart the legislative proposals.
House Bill 427 would amend existing law so that "a person whose exercise of religion is burdened in violation of specified law may obtain appropriate relief against any person relying upon any government action, enactment or law that burdens a person's religious exercise of religion."
Its companion proposal is HR 426, also titled as protective of religious freedom. It would prohibit "any occupational licensing board or governmental subdivision or entity from denying, revoking or suspending a person's professional or occupational license, certificate or registration due to certain conduct."
The bills could allow for discrimination "under the guise of religious freedom," Faunce said. The bills also could allow for even wider discrimination against women, for example, if they are perceived to be unwed mothers or dressed in a way that someone deems inappropriate, Faunce said.
Councilor Tom Lamar read a draft letter for legislators that focused on protecting the rights of all. It stated the bills would make it harder for local businesses and institutions such as the University of Idaho to recruit the best job candidates and that Idaho already upholds religious rights.
Councilor Wayne Krauss wanted to shift the focus of the letter and make it more "to the point."
"The state gets very upset when the federal government tells them what they can and cannot do," he said. Now, the state is "going against the rights of local governments to do what we think is best for our citizens."
"Our ordinance takes care of Moscow real well," said councilor John Weber. "We do not like the state Legislature sticking their nose in our business."
Moscow approved its ordinance in April 2013 and is among seven Idaho cities that passed similar anti-discrimination laws to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents from being discriminated against in housing and employment.
The other Idaho cities to approve such resolutions are Boise, Coeur d'Alene, Ketchum, Sandpoint, Pocatello and Idaho Falls.
Pocatello is set to hold a referendum vote in May, however, a group of residents gathered enough signatures to get a proposal on the ballot seeking its repeal.
Idaho Republican Party officials approved a resolution in July asking state legislators to void these local laws. Cities have approved such laws because state officials haven't expanded the Idaho Human Rights Act to include housing and workplace protections for these minority groups, according to previous reports.
Both HR 426 and HR 427 are moving forward in the Legislature, although neither has come up for a vote.
The full council meets Tuesday, Feb. 18, because its regular Monday meeting night is on Presidents' Day when all city offices will be closed.
Though HR 427 is advancing in the house, Krauss said it would be best to ensure the letter says "what we want it to say."
Lamar also asked city staff to obtain an opinion about the bills from the Association of Idaho Cities as the letter to legislators was being rewritten.
The committee recommended the full council consider a process for farmers market vendors seeking to have decisions against them overturned.

--------------------
Moscow Human Rights Commission Request for State Legislature Letter of Opposition 

http://youtu.be/qu8UbzGEMDk



-----------------------------------

House Bill 426
http://legislature.idaho.gov/legislation/2014/H0426.htm

House Bill 427
http://legislature.idaho.gov/legislation/2014/H0427.htm

Stay tuned, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20140211/0ad16c26/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image.jpeg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 118420 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20140211/0ad16c26/image-0001.jpeg>