Friday January 26, 2007 SGN.org |
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Volume 35 Issue 04 |
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Friday, Sep 05, 2008
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First anniversary of Anderson-Murray Civil Rights Bill passage to be 'Equal Rights Day,' says Murray |
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| First anniversary of Anderson-Murray Civil Rights Bill passage to be 'Equal Rights Day,' says Murray | ||
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by Robert Raketty -
SGN Staff Writer The Legislature passed the Anderson-Murray Civil Rights Bill (House Bill 2661) just one year ago on January 27, 2006. However, the emotional impact and practical implications of the new law, which ban's discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, employment, financial transactions and public accommodations, has been profound. State Senator Ed Murray, the legislation's primary sponsor for over a decade while in the House of Representatives, has declared the one year anniversary to be "Equal Rights Day" in Washington's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community. He also used the opportunity to thank the bills many supporters through out its 29 year history in Olympia. "One year ago today, when the civil rights bill finally passed and equal rights for Gays and Lesbians were finally secured in Washington law, I received a lot of credit," said Murray, in a written statement. "I was certainly appreciative of this. But there are a lot of other people who also deserved credit, and still deserve it today. I think the one-year anniversary of the bill's passage is the perfect occasion to call them out." Murray thanked organizations - from the Dorian Society to Equal Rights Washington -- and individuals -- from Charlie Brighton to George Cheung - in Washington's Gay and Lesbian community. He also thanked several of the governors of Washington State. "The bill has always had the support of Washington's governors," he said. Specifically, he cited the following examples: - In the late 1970s, Gov. Dan Evans was the first Republican to sign onto the bill, and worked behind the scenes to advance it. - In the early 1990s, Gov. Booth Gardner issued the state's first executive order offering workplace protections to Gays and Lesbians employed by the state. - In the mid-1990s, Gov. Mike Lowry stood in the wings of the Senate with Rep. Cal Andersen, our state's first openly Gay legislator, as he gathered support for the bill. - In the late 1990s and early in this decade, Gov. Gary Locke courageously confronted a right-wing Legislature in his efforts to move the bill forward. - Current Gov. Christine Gregoire's strong leadership on this issue was crucial to bills ultimate success. Murray also had kind words for past and present Legislators, "who supported the bill over the past three decades, from [former State] Sen. Pete Francis, the bill's first prime sponsor in 1977, to [State] Reps. Joe McDermott, Jim Moeller, and Dave Upthegrove, the three other Gay legislators who helped garner the bill's critical mass of support." However, former Republican State Senator Bill Finkbeiner was singled out among them, because his "contribution and courage hasn't ever been fully acknowledged," said Murray. "Sen. Finkbeiner's courage made a majority - without his support, the bill would not have passed," he added. "As the leader of a caucus that did not support the bill, he stepped down from his leadership position - and, ultimately, his Senate seat - so that he was free to vote his conscience." Finally, Murray thanked the many businesses who supported the bill over the years - from high tech leaders, such as Hewlett-Packard and Corbis, to the Coors Brewing Company. In particular, he cited Microsoft, which he said was "brave enough to engage in a difficult internal discussion, undergo a change of heart, and work actively to bring about this great progress." At the bills signing on January 31, 2006, Gov. Gregoire had given similar accolades noting that "[i]t took the tenacity of many people over the course of the last twenty-nine years working on this bill, with even more people joining in the struggle with each passing year" before it was finally passed. Last year, Gregoire had thanked the late Senator Cal Anderson, who introduced the legislation every year, first as a representative in the House and, then, as a senator in the Senate, until his death in 1995. She also thanked Rep. Kathy Haigh and Sen. Darlene Fairley for their work in "shepherding this bill through the [committee and hearing] process" during the bills final year in the Legislature. |
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