Gay rights measure rejected by Wash State Senate

Two Democrats join Republicans on vote

In a vote the Senate had managed to avoid for almost 30 years, 23 Republicans and two Democrats joined forces yesterday to kill a bill that would have banned discrimination against gay people.

Gay rights advocates and Democratic leaders who have said the civil rights bill was among their top priorities wept openly and vowed to continue their fight after the bill failed.

"The lesbian and gay community, to say the least, is hurt and angry and suffering at this moment," said Rep. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, one of four gay lawmakers. "But this for us is not a time to be angry. It is a time for action."

Murray, who has championed the legislation for a decade, said just bringing the measure to a vote in the Senate was progress because it forced lawmakers to reveal their true feelings. The bill has passed the House several times, including this session, but had never come to a vote in the upper chamber.

"We have furthered the cause of justice," Murray said. "We have exposed bigotry and prejudice in this state and we will win."

Republicans said they had blocked an unnecessary law that runs contrary to their religious tenets because it would have promoted homosexuality and advanced the cause of gay marriage.

Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, could not muster 25 yes votes from her 26-member caucus. But she said all was not lost.

"The people of Washington want to know what we believe and how we vote on these issues," Brown said.

Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, voted to bring the bill to a floor vote only to vote against it. He said it was only fair to give fellow lawmakers a chance to vote on the bill. Sen. Jim Hargrove of Hoquiam was the other Democrat who voted no.



"I believe adultery is wrong, I believe sex outside marriage is wrong, I believe homosexuality is wrong. Therefore, I cannot give government protection to this behavior," Hargrove said.

But Democrats aimed the blame across the aisle. And although several other suburban Republicans had been viewed as possible crossover votes, Minority Leader Bill Finkbeiner, R-Kirkland, took most of the heat yesterday for his no vote.

Republicans had avoided a vote once already this session with a parliamentary maneuver that sent the bill back from the floor to a committee, where it was expected to languish another year.

Finkbeiner, who has broken ranks with the majority of his caucus on stem cell research legislation and the gas tax for transportation, voted with his party on the earlier procedural move on the gay rights bill.

Democrats thought bringing the gay rights bill up for a vote would force Finkbeiner to support it because, as a House Democrat in the early 1990s, Finkbeiner twice voted in support of the measure.

They were wrong.

Finkbeiner said although he was conflicted about the vote, he didn't think the new law was necessary.

"There's a lot of things that I think are wrong, and we don't have a law against them," Finkbeiner said. "I don't believe that in any way this vote condones discrimination in any way, shape or form. I still absolutely believe that it's wrong. I still believe that it does happen in some occurrences, but this state is actually pretty progressive and open minded."