News Release

For Immediate Release Contact: Rick Garcia
February 27, 2003 312-560-0405

ILLINOIS SENATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PASSES GLBT RIGHTS

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - The most conservative committee of the Illinois Senate voted to pass a bill banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The 8-5 vote was along party lines with Democrats casting yes votes and Republicans voting no. The bill, which has been around since 1974, now goes to the full Senate for consideration. The bill's sponsor is optimistic about its passage.

"This is the first time that the Senate Executive committee passed this bill. We are ecstatic," said Rick Garcia, political Director of Equality Illinois. "For years this civil rights legislation was bottled up or stopped in this committee and today's vote is a huge step forward."

Testifying in favor of the bill were Garcia and the bill's sponsor State Senator Carol Ronen (D-Edgewater). Opposing the legislation was Rev. Bob Vanden Bosch of Concerned Christians of America. The proponents explained the content of the bill and suggested that the legislation promoted equal treatment for all people under the law. Vanden Bosch testified that the bill violates religious institutions' rights, will hurt businesses and pave the way to the sanctioning of gay marriage and "protections for all other kinds of sexual behaviors."

Rebuffing Vanden Bosch Garcia suggested to the senators that they listen to businesses, especially religious businesses themselves. "A slew of Catholic orders of nuns and brothers that operate hospitals, schools, and social service agencies are on record supporting this legislation. As does Advocate Health Centers, the state's second largest private employer sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran and Episcopal Churches," noted Garcia. "Clearly these religious groups would not endorse legislation that was bad for their businesses or that would violate their deeply held religious beliefs."

"The bill has an excellent chance of passing the Senate this year," said Ronen. "More and more of my colleagues are recognizing that this is a simple matter of fairness. They recognize that the opponents' arguments are not based on fact, but simply an attempt to mislead. I'm confident we will pass this bill."

Among those submitting statements of support were American Airlines, LaSalle Bank, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Advocate Health Centers, SEIU, National Coalition of American Nuns, AFL-CIO, Lutheran Advocacy Network, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Chicago Bar Association, the ACLU, NOW and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
Both Garcia and Ronen's testimony is available.