By Matt Adkins
Kentucky Rep. Stan Lee (R.), pre-filed legislation earlier last month that would banish domestic partners benefits at post-secondary institutions, including the University of Louisville.
Now other State Representatives and organizations want to strike this piece of legislation down.
The pre-filed bill would not allow any post-secondary institutions to provide any benefits to unmarried couples who are of the same-sex or of the opposite-sex.
The bill itself would be under consideration when the General Assembly confers on Jan. 2, 2007.
Since the bill has been pre-filed, it has ignited an uproar by two gay-rights organizations, which are the Kentucky Fairness Alliance and the Kentucky Equality Federation. Both are calling action against Lee’s decision to undergo this legislation.
The KFA argues it is unfair that the legislation interferes with the decision that universities and other colleges around the state make on their own. “The Kentucky Fairness Alliance condemns the proposed ban on domestic partner benefits,” said communication director for KFA Misty York. “It’s an attack against committed couples and their families. Worse, it interferes with an internal personnel decision that the university made within its rights and responsibilities,” said York.
Many are in disagreement with this decision by Lee, including an absence of Republican support for the legislation.
Executive Director Christine Gilgor of the KFA said, “Republican leadership has not spoken on the record about this particular bill; neither have the two representatives who typically sign on as co-sponsors to anti-gay efforts.” She added that Mike Harmon of Danville and Joe Fischer of Ft. Thomas generally co-sponsor anti-gay bills. “Interestingly, both live in college communities and both have reasonably competitive races for re-election and neither is currently co-sponsoring Lee’s anti-gay domestic partners bill,” said Gilgor.
Lee, who is running unopposed, believes the public has already voiced their opinions concerning the gay marriage debate. “I think the public spoke a couple of years ago on the marriage amendment,” said Lee, in an interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Jordan Palmer, the president of the KEF, also disagrees with the proposed legislation. “We cannot allow any elected official to second-guess the judgment and decisions of our local governments or institutions,” said Palmer, in an interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Gilgor agrees, “It is absolutely not reasonable for the legislature to dictate to our universities how they will manage their benefit programs.”
The KFA plans to meet the challenge when it comes down to the decision for the legislation to be passed. “The Kentucky Fairness Alliance does have a plan of action for defeating the proposed domestic partner benefit plan,” said York. According to York, the KFA has begun mobilizing faculty and staff from several of Kentucky’s public universities. “We’re training and encouraging them to lobby their legislators, highlighting their personal stories and the proposed ban’s potential impact on their families,” said York.
York does not really know the motivations behind Lee’s plan. “Lee is running unopposed in his district and I haven’t seen any evidence so far that supporting or opposing the ban has become a campaign issue anywhere else in the state,” said York.
Despite the criticism Lee has received from his proposal, Greg Thiemann, a sophomore majoring in biology and foreign language agrees with the Representative. “I support the
