|
Compiled By GayToday
|
Santa Fe, New Mexico—By the narrow margin of 35-31, New Mexico's
House of Representatives said 'yes' to anti-gay bias Thursday, refusing
to make it illegal—as HB360 would have done had they passed it— to discriminate
against gay men and lesbians in housing, employment, union membership,
financial credit and access to public services or facilities. .
Gay activists in Santa Fe were dismayed, telling reporters that antagonistic
politicians had said little during debate that could be called enlightened.
The lawmakers were simply biased themselves, having refused since 1991 to
pass an anti-discriminatory clause.
|
 House Minority Whip Earlene Roberts supported the anti-gay position
|
Discriminatory treatment based on race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry,
gender, physical or mental handicap and serious medical condition is already
illegal in New Mexico.
Republicans were joined by 9 Democrats who helped to kill HB360.
Only one Republican, “Dub” Williams of Glencoe, supported the anti-discriminatory
measure.
|
Democratic representatives who voted against the bill included:
Rep. Debbie Rodella, D-La Mesilla, Rep. Bengie Regensberg, D-Cleveland,
and Rep. Jeannette Wallace, R-Los Alamos.
House Minority Whip Earlene Roberts, R-Lovington,
explained her pro-discrimination stance on the House floor. She rejected, she said,
establishing any other "protected classification of people" that might
"divide our nation even more."
Rep. J. Paul Taylor, D-Mesilla, said:
|
Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:
U.S. Supreme Court Refuses Job Discrimination Case
Maine Repeals Civil Rights Laws
President to U.S. Governors: Protect Gay Employees!
Related Sites:
New Mexico State Hous
GayToday does not endorse related sites.
|
"Every person in our state should have equal rights for
employment," he said, "and if we deny those rights, then we are not
treating these people equally."
|
