May 1, 2015 Radio Commentary

Children, Adults & Sexual Orientation Bills

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, May 1, 2015 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Without exception, bills promoting alternate lifestyles are introduced every year in Georgia, and the five bills we’re considering today fit that category. Not one of them passed, but all five are alive for action in the 2016 session.

Representative Keisha Waites (D) pre-filed H.B. 40 on January 9th, but waited until March 2nd to introduce it. Initially, it went to the House Education Committee but was moved to the Juvenile Justice Committee, where it remains until 2016. So, that committee will decide next year whether public and private schools should be forced to give sexual orientation, gender and gender identity civil rights status in bullying situations. Actually, H.B. 40 is unnecessary, because Georgia law was rewritten years ago to treat all students equally when bullying is an issue.

On January 29th Representative Simone Bell (D) introduced H.B. 142, requiring schools and nonpublic pre-kindergarten, primary and secondary schools to adopt LGBT-affirming policies. LGBT is short for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transsexual. Schools and programs that refuse to implement such policies would not be eligible to receive student scholarships. H.B. 142 was left in the House Education Committee for consideration in 2016. On January 26th Senator Fort (D) introduced S.B. 47 that went to the Senate Non Civil Judiciary Committee, where it remains for 2016. If it were to pass, several Georgia laws would be changed to substantially increase penalties for crimes perceived to be committed because of the victim’s sexual orientation.

H.B. 323 introduced February 12th by Representative Karla Drenner (D) would add sexual orientation to state government hiring policies in the State Fair Employment Practices Act. H.B. 323 defines sexual orientation as “a person’s actual or perceived heterosexuality, bisexuality, homosexuality, or gender related identity or expression.” Therefore, it gives alternate lifestyles civil rights status, which could lead to affirmative action based on sexual behavior. H.B. 323 is alive in the House Judiciary Committee for the next legislative session.

In addition to these four bills promoting the use of gender identity in school policies, and for criminal penalties, and for hiring state employees, H.B. 210 by Representative Terry Rogers (R) requires organ donors to provide gender information that would be available (for an extra fee) to organ procurement organizations and secure data services. That’s a significant change, considering the fact that the word “gender” means sexual behavior. So, I have a question. If H.B. 210 had passed or were to pass next session, would organ donor registries and organ donor cards include (a) a space to identify the donor’s biological sex (male or female), which is already required, and (b) another space to indicate the donor’s sexual behavior (LGBT)? Something to think about for the 2016 session! For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.