Reposting this bit of interesting news…

Written by Michael Aaron, QSaltLake
Monday, 10 November 2008

Taking advantage of momentum following the apparent passage of California’s Proposition 8, Equality Utah called a press conference for Monday, Nov. 10 at noon in its offices.

“Over this recent election cycle, there has been much emotion around California’s Proposition 8 – emotion on both sides of the issue – and these emotions have been especially high here in Utah, home of the LDS Church, which played a visible and active role in the Yes on 8 campaign,” said Equality Utah Board Chair Stephanie Pappas.

“While we disagree with the LDS Church’s position on Proposition 8, we respect that their position is based on the guiding principles of their faith. Throughout the campaign, while the LDS Church stated its support of Proposition 8, it also made repeated comments that the Church ‘does not object to rights for same-sex couples regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights.’ Just last week, Elder L. Whitney Clayton stated the LDS Church does not oppose ‘civil unions or domestic partnerships,’” Pappas continued.

In response, Equality Utah has drafted five bills for the upcoming legislative session in January, and the group is “taking the LDS Chruch at its word” that they will support the legislation.

Will Carlson, Equality Utah Manager of Public Policy, spelled out the five bills:

1. Hospitalization & Medical Care
Most gay people with insurance cannot insure their family. This bill will mandate that insurance plans, which extend benefits to an employee’s spouse, also cover an employee’s partner. When insurance plans cover families, they should cover every family member.

2. Fair Housing & Employment
Currently, it is legal to fire a person from her job or evict a person from his home just for being gay or transgender. The Fair Housing and Workplace bill will expand on HB 89, introduced by Representative Christine Johnson in the 2008 session. It will add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of characteristics employers and landlords may not consider when making employment or housing decisions.

3. Probate Rights – Wrongful Death Amendments
The death of a loved one is painful. When someone dies, we can protect the family’s financial security by removing barriers to inheritance and insurance. As part of this effort, we will continue to support Senator Scott McCoy’s Wrongful Death Amendments legislation.

4. Domestic Partner Rights & Responsibilities Act
The term “marriage” has proven to stir up many conflicts. Aside from marriage, we can do much more to help committed couples care for each other. This bill creates a statewide domestic partner registry as exists in California and attaches rights of inheritance, insurance and fair housing.

5. Repeal of part 2 of Utah’s Amendment 3
A registry that covers inheritance, housing, and insurance is not the legal equivalent of marriage. Yet the second part of Amendment 3 has been misinterpreted to avoid any recognition of gay couples. Laws that deny basic protections under the law should be repealed. This bill will repeal the portion of Amendment 3 which states “no other domestic union; however, denominated, may be recognized as marriage or be given the same or substantially equivalent legal effect.”

Read the full article

What an awesome response to the recent LDS spin and defense victim posturing around their support of Prop 8. The church will either have to publicly support the passage of this legislation or expose themselves as hypocrites or liars.

Of course, the Church will likely do nothing and allow their surrogates in the legislature to kill these bills while the Mormon leaders remain silent, allowing them to pretend that there is no contradiction in their statements and their actions. Still, you gotta give them hope.