Sen. Frank Morse - A Good Christian and Great Leader
State Sen. Frank Morse said today that if the Legislature does not authorize civil unions (SB 1000), the courts very likely will.
As announced earlier, Morse will sponsor a public meeting at 7 tonight in the Student Center at South Albany High School to have a discussion about Senate Bill 1000, which he cosponsored.
The bill would authorize same-sex civil unions with the same rights and duties as marriages.
"My first objective is an open dialogue," Morse said of tonight's meeting. "I want to listen. There are quite a number of people taking issue with me on this."
Because it has been cast as a faith issue, especially by the Oregon Family Council, Morse plans to address that point.
He has invited Patty Evans, pastor at First Christian Church of Albany, as well as Anthony Terndrup, director of the Pastoral Counseling Center in Corvallis, to speak from their perspectives.
As introduced, SB 1000 would also outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment, housing and public accommodations.
The committee expects to hold a second hearing on the civil-unions part of the bill. The hearing has not been scheduled but may be held next week, according to a committee spokeswoman.
Morse said opposition won't make him change his mind about civil unions.
"I have taken so many arrows on this," he said, "you get somewhat desensitized after a while. But the bill is the right thing to do."
Main story:
In an interview from his office at the Capitol, the Albany Republican pointed to the so-called Tanner decision in 1998, in which the Court of Appeals ruled that under the Oregon Constitution same-sex domestic partners were entitled to the same employment benefits as married spouses.
"If this issue is not resolved in the Legislature, it will be resolved in the courts," Morse said.As announced earlier, Morse will sponsor a public meeting at 7 tonight in the Student Center at South Albany High School to have a discussion about Senate Bill 1000, which he cosponsored.
The bill would authorize same-sex civil unions with the same rights and duties as marriages.
"My first objective is an open dialogue," Morse said of tonight's meeting. "I want to listen. There are quite a number of people taking issue with me on this."
Because it has been cast as a faith issue, especially by the Oregon Family Council, Morse plans to address that point.
He has invited Patty Evans, pastor at First Christian Church of Albany, as well as Anthony Terndrup, director of the Pastoral Counseling Center in Corvallis, to speak from their perspectives.
As introduced, SB 1000 would also outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment, housing and public accommodations.
The committee expects to hold a second hearing on the civil-unions part of the bill. The hearing has not been scheduled but may be held next week, according to a committee spokeswoman.
Morse said opposition won't make him change his mind about civil unions.
"I have taken so many arrows on this," he said, "you get somewhat desensitized after a while. But the bill is the right thing to do."
Main story:
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, June 01, 2005 at 12:51 PM.
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ByFrank, I think you are courageous to champion everyone's rights. Joy
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