[Pacg] Action Alert! Civil Rights Bill in jeopardy - Please ACT Today!

[Carolina 1961]

*The Iowa Senate has passed a bill to extend equal rights protections to the
gay and lesbian members of our community.  The Governor has promised to sign
it if it comes tohis desk.  It is being held up in the House and may not
even be brought to the floor for a vote.  We believe it should come to the
floor for debate and vote and that it has a good chance of passing.  *


*The same civil rights protections that everyone else in the state enjoys
should be provided to the GLBT community. I believe as a Catholic that it is
the right and moral thing to do, whatever one's particular views are on the
subject.   Cathy Bolkcom*

**

*We must communicate our support of this bill to several people:
MOST IMPORTANT:  TO the leadership  Pat Murphy and Kevin McCarthy*

*Phone Number:  *     (515) 281-3221



Emails to leaders and those undecided:



Patrick Murphy  House Democratic leader  pat.murphy at legis.state.ia.us,


Delores.Mertz at legis.state.ia.us
,


Chuck.Gipp at legis.state.ia.us ,

Dawn.pettingill at legis.state.ia.us  ,


Brian.Quirk at legis.state.ia.us,

Kevin.McCarthy at legis.state.ia.us,



*Thanks* to Elesha Gayman   elesha.gayman at legis.state.ia.us

Linda.Miller at legis.state.ia.us  -- who has said she will vote for it, but
does not think it is important to her district and to your own reps

Steve.olson*@legis.state.ia.us*

Jamie.VanFossen*@legis.state.ia.us*



More details in article:



*DM Register Article on Civil Rights Bill in the **Iowa* * House*

By Charlotte Eby, Journal Des Moines Bureau

DES MOINES -- Gay rights advocates in Iowa are frustrated the new Democratic
majority in the Iowa House has not debated a bill that would extend civil
rights protections to homosexuals.  Although the bill passed the Iowa Senate
last month and has support from Gov. Chet Culver, it has languished in the
House.  Democratic leaders have said they don't have votes from 51 Democrats
needed to pass the bill and will not count on Republican supporters.

Sharon Malheiro, president of the LGBT Community Center of Iowa, said she is
surprised some Democrats are not in favor of the measure. She pledged the
push to get the measure passed will continue through the closing weeks of
the Iowa Legislature's session.  "We all worked hard to get this majority
where it is so that we could get the legislation necessary to give all
Iowans civil rights, and so I'm disappointed that it's stalled," she said.  The
bill would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender
identity in employment, housing, education, public accommodations or credit
practices.

Sandy Vopalka has spent the last four years lobbying the Legislature to pass
civil rights protections for homosexuals. Vopalka, a lesbian from Carlisle ,
had been optimistic this would be the year it passed with Democrats in
charge.  "I guess I didn't think it was going to be quite the struggle that
it is," Vopalka said.  Leaders in the Iowa House are pointing fingers as to
why the issue hasn't been debated.
*
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines*, believes the top
Republican leader has told members not to vote for the bill unless it has
enough Democratic votes to pass.  But *Rep. Chuck Gipp, R-Decorah*, one of
the Republicans in favor of the measure, denies House Minority Leader
Christopher Rants is urging the House GOP to lock up against it.

"To accuse Christopher Rants of being the problem is totally absurd," Gipp
said. "So if this bill comes to the floor, you know, I'm going to support
it. But it appears that it's not."  At least two Democrats are opposed to
the bill.

*Rep. Brian Quirk*, a New Hampton Democrat and Catholic, has said his
religious beliefs are part of the reason he is against it. Another no vote
is *Rep. Delores Mertz, D-Ottosen,* who has voted against it during her
tenure in the Legislature.  "I'm just going to stay true to what I believe
and what my principles are, and vote against it again," Mertz said.

Other House Democrats say they are undecided.  "I haven't made up my mind
yet," said *Rep. Dawn Pettengill*, D-Mount Auburn. "We haven't talked about
it in caucus yet. I don't know what the bill does or anything."  Rep.
McKinley Bailey, a freshman Democrat from Webster City, is undecided, and *Rep.
Paul Shomshor,* D-Council Bluffs, said he'll "see what happens" if the vote
comes up.

The bill has picked up support among some GOP members.  *Rep. Linda
Miller,*a Bettendorf Republican who is in favor of the bill, said she
is not feeling
pressure to vote against it from party leaders. But she is reluctant to lend
Democrats a vote to help pass it because she thinks they haven't been
inclusive of Republican ideas this year.
"I don't think this is a big, huge priority for my district," Miller said,
citing local city ordinances that protect homosexuals.

*Rep. Tami Wiencek, R-Waterloo*, said she hasn't decided how she will vote.
"I'm being lobbied heavily," she said.
And *Rep. Bill Schickel, **R-Mason** **City**,* said he will vote his
conscience if the measure is debated by the full House.
"I'm keeping an open mind on the bill. I think it's important that we
protect everyone's rights," Schickel said.
*Rep. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque*, wants to see a public debate on the issue but
is aware of the political implications.
"It's one of those issues that can be easily twisted and made into something
that it's not," Jochum said. "And I'm sure that unfortunately there are many
people holding public office -- federal level, state level, local level --
that are becoming more and more leery of having the courage to do what they
know is the right thing to do."

McCarthy, the majority leader, has pledged he would not let the bill be
debated unless it will pass.

He believes a failed vote on the issue, which occurred in the Iowa House in
1992, could mean a setback for those who want to see it passed.  "Sometimes
allowing a bill to fail is detrimental to the cause," McCarthy said.





Thanks,

Cathy Bolkcom
Progressive Action for the Common Good
hm      563-289-4155

www.qcprogressiveaction.org
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