Citizen Lobbyists Set New Standard in 2006

Conservative Extremists 0 for 5; Fairness Sets a Record

The Kentucky Fairness Alliance is celebrating our unprecedented successes during the 2006 legislative session. Citizen lobbyists stormed Frankfort with e-mails, phone calls, and personal visits, paving the way for victories on every issue we tackled this year.

Pro-Fairness Victories

Topping the list, a record 13 legislators signed on as sponsors of the statewide Fairness bills (HB 369/SB 99), a desperately needed measure that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Nine Representatives and four Senators confirmed their commitment to Fairness by sponsoring their respective bills.

"Increasing the number of statewide Fairness sponsors in both houses is critical to our long term goal of passing these crucial protections," said Wes Wright, KFA's legislative liaison. "Setting the record means we're starting to build momentum toward a fair Kentucky for everyone."

KFA also joined the coalition supporting a school bullying bill (HB 270). The proposed measure would provide school districts with tools for dealing with harassment and intimidation of any student, including those who are targeted because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation and/or gender identity. HB 270 passed the House unanimously, although it never received a vote in the Senate.

Anti-Fairness Defeats

Conservative extremists launched four separate attacks on the local Fairness ordinances in Louisville, Lexington, and Covington. The anti-Fairness bills (HB 215/SB 178), which would repeal the ordinances by statute, failed to reach the floor in either chamber. Likewise, the Civil Wrongs amendment (HB 226) stalled out in committee.

The most serious threat to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Kentuckians came in the form of a proposed constitutional amendment in the Senate. The Political Power Grab, claiming to rein in so-called activist judges, failed to muster the necessary three-fifths majority by a single vote. The amendment sought to undermine judicial review of local Fairness ordinances, among other matters.

Best of all, despite strong indications that Kentucky would be the site of a ban against LGBT people becoming adoptive or foster parents, the threat never materialized.

"Legislators got the message early," said KFA Executive Director Christina Gilgor. "Kentuckians wouldn't tolerate keeping kids from getting the loving homes they need. We made it clear that attempts to exploit hatred and bigotry, thankfully, have limits."

The Kentucky Fairness Alliance is proud of our victories on all of these issues. We extend our deepest gratitude to our citizen lobbyists as well as the courageous legislators who sponsored the Fairness bills.

Photos from our Fairness Days of Lobbying in Frankfort. From left, citizen lobbyists on Feb. 2; a volunteer fills out a lobby meeting report form; and citizen lobbyists in the Captiol Rotunda on Feb. 22.