Texas House Passes Amendment Allowing Student Clubs at Universities to Discriminate Against Gays

The Texas House yesterday passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Matt Krause prohibiting universities from mandating that officially recognized student organizations adhere to the school's non-discrimination policies, Equality Texas reports:

If enacted, the amendment would allow officially-recognized student organizations who receive taxpayer funded support from a university to discriminate against a potential member based on race, religion, veteran status, HIV/AIDS status, gender, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression if any attribute of the student "demonstrates opposition to the organization's stated beliefs and purposes."

Equality Texas is appreciative of the bipartisan support of allies in opposition to the amendment - which included 13 Republicans.

The Krause amendment was one of 15 amendments added by the House to Senate Bill 215. It is likely that a conference committee will be needed to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of SB 215. Equality Texas will be actively engaged throughout that process working to strip the Krause amendment from the bill's final version.

You can read the amendment HERE.

Related...
Texas A&M Student Body President Vetoes Bill Allowing Religion-Based Discrimination Against Campus LGBT Center [tlrd]

Another Oregon Baker Denies Baking Wedding Cake for Gay Couple: VIDEO

Back in February, Sweet Cakes, a Gresham, Oregon bakery found itself the target of protest after it said it would not bake a cake for a lesbian couple's wedding. The Oregon Labor Bureau is reportedly still investigating.

Now Fleur Cakes, a baker in Mt. Hood, Oregon, has denied a wedding cake request from a couple for the same reason. Erin Hanson and Katie Pugh (pictured above) thought they had found the perfect baker.

Not so, KOMO News reports:

"I mentioned Erin in passing, and said a 'she' in passing too, in the email. A few days later she called back and that was today. And called and verified it was a same-sex wedding," Pugh said.

And that's when Fleur Cakes said it wouldn't bake the cake.

The business is also Regentin's house. She was out of town but spoke to KATU News on the phone.

When asked if she was aware it's illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation for a business that serves the public, Regentin said: "I believe I have the liberty to live by my principles."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

And, if you're interested, here is Fleur Cakes' Facebook page.

100 Pennsylvania Lawmakers Introduce Sweeping LGBT Nondiscrimination Bills: VIDEO

A group of 100 Pennsylvania lawmakers introduced two bills yesterday in Harrisburg that would offer sweeping protections to LGBT citizens across the state.

PGH City Paper reports:

A broad group of state lawmakers today introduced bills HB 300/SB300, which would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression statewide in employment, housing, credit and public accommodations. And they cited a record high level of support for the measures.

"These identical proposals have a common goal — to end, once and for all, the last vestige of legal discrimination in Pennsylvania based on an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression," said state Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Squirrel Hill), a co-sponsor of HB300 with Republican state Rep. Chris Ross, and sponsor of the bill in previous years.

Frankel noted that its the first time the bills have had such broad, bipartisan support, with 77 sponsors in the House and 25 in the Senate.

Pennsylvania's first openly gay elected lawmaker Brian Sims (pictured) was at the introduction, Newsworks reports. Said Sims:

"On days like today — with the type of equality advocates, activists and warriors that I am joined by on stage — we show once again that the American spirit, the American dream and, most importantly, the American values demand that we as a commonwealth finally evolve."

Watch Sims speak about protecting the rights of all citizens, AFTER THE JUMP...

Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) to Introduce Federal Gay Adoption Bill

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced plans to introduce legislation prohibiting discrimination against gay couples looking to adopt, the Washington Blade reports:

The legislation, known as the Every Child Deserves a Family Act, would restrict federal funds for public child welfare agencies if they have laws or practices allowing for discrimination in adoption on the basis of marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill would also prohibit discrimination against LGBT children seeking families.

Gillibrand emphasized the importance of the legislation on Tuesday during a news conference on Capitol Hill as a means to ensure LGBT families seeking to adopt can do so without fear of anti-gay bias.

Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) are sheperding the bill in the House.

Gillibrand tells the Blade she's now working on co-sponsors and will attempt to pass the bill this year.

As noted by The Huffington Post, one potential supporter for the legislation in the House could be Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who said during a town hall that he supports adoption rights for gay couples, although he continues to oppose same-sex marriage.

“I do believe that if there are children who are orphans who do have a loving person or couple — I think if a person wants to love and raise a child they ought to be able to do that. Period. I would vote that way,” Ryan said.

Ryan’s office didn’t immediately respond to the Blade’s request to comment on whether he’d support the Every Child Deserves a Family Act.

Catholic School Rejects Newly-Appointed President Over Speculation He's Gay

Regis Catholic Schools in Wisconsin announced on April 4 that its new president would be Tim Nelson, a decision they reportedly revoked last week because of speculation that he's gay.

The Leader Telegram reports:

Regis officials indicated someone had given them information showing that a man's name was listed in parentheses behind Nelson's in the survivor list of his father's obituary 2½ years ago, and they told him that is typically the way a gay partner is listed in an obituary, Nelson said. Nelson said he explained to Konopa that he considered the man his best friend and that the man was close to Nelson's family.

They add:

Nelson...said Friday he was "flabbergasted" when system officials informed him nearly three weeks later they intended to revoke his contract because of concerns about his sexual orientation.

"The whole thing is based on assumptions, innuendo and speculation," an obviously upset Nelson said by telephone from New Mexico, where he has worked as supervising principal of a group of American Indian community schools for the past eight years.

Regis denied the allegations Friday in a statement.

"Regis Catholic Schools denies that any assumptions, insinuations or speculation played a part in its decision to not hire Mr. Nelson," the statement said. "Furthermore, Regis Catholic Schools categorically denies that sexual orientation was a part in its decision. Mr. Nelson's speculation is unfounded and untrue."

The school system has announced his replacement.

Five Gay Activists Arrested at Texas Capitol at Sit-In Against Four GOP Senators: VIDEO

Five gay activists from the group GetEQUAL Texas were arrested on Wednesday after refusing to leave the offices of four Republican senators who refuse to support Senate Bill 237, the Fair Employment Act, KEYE reports:

Michael Diviesti of GetEQUAL TX says, "What the bill does is says 'hey look, if you live in Texas you can't fire somebody simply because they happen to be gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgender.' You have to have a real reason to fire someone or deny them employment."

We tried to speak with all of the four senators who the protesters say are not supporting the bill, none could speak to us on camera. Senate Bill 237 is currently stuck in committee, where it's been for the last month. It will stay there until it gets the votes needed to move to the next level.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...