Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 stalls in the U.S. Senate.

The Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 has stalled in the U.S. Senate after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) withdrew an Iraq defense measure to which the hate crimes bill was attached.

One in six hate crimes is motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation. And, many others are motivated by the victim’s gender identity, gender, or disability.

Extending hate crimes law to include members of the LGBT community was endorsed by more than 210 law enforcement, civil rights, civic and religious organizations, including: the National Sheriffs' Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.

Democrats were seven votes short of passing the defense bill, which called for the removal of U.S. troops from Iraq by spring 2008. The hate crimes statute was one of several dozen amendments attached for easier passage; a statement from the White House after the House passed an identical hate crimes measure, the "Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007" seemed to indicate that the proposed law would be vetoed were it to be a freestanding bill.

A spokesperson for Reid said it could be a “long time” before the Nevada senator brings the defense bill back to the floor for a vote, which could lead to an indefinite hold on the hate crimes bill if other action isn't taken.

The Matthew Shepard Foundation asks people to continue calls and emails to U.S. Senators in support of the Act.

House Speaker Richards must lead Governor Fletcher by the nose.

Thanks to the efforts of House Speaker Jody Richards, Governor Fletcher has agreed to meet with executives from Peabody Energy for a private meeting on July 25 at the Louisville International Convention Center.

House Speaker Richards (who must now apparently do Fletcher's work for him) requested a meeting with Peabody Chief Executive Officer Gregory H. Boyce to gauge Peabody’s commitment and time schedule to locating an alternative fuels plant in Kentucky if the legislature approves tax incentives.

Governor Fletcher should have taken this action himself prior to calling the House and Senate into special session. This would have established the need for a special session assuming Peabody Energy is in fact going to make a decision soon about locating a plant in Kentucky as Fletcher has claimed.

Instead, Fletcher added a total of 66 other items to the agenda of his executive order calling the House and Senate into a special session, including a ban on domestic partnerships at all Kentucky public institutions that the Senate has already approved.

Governor Fletcher, Senate President Williams, and House Speaker Richards will be attending the meeting in Louisville.

Common reasons stated by conservative persons that homosexuals shouldn't get married.

Brian Stephens, a new member of Kentucky Equality Federation's General Advisory Council wrote a fascinating article titled: "Common reasons stated by conservative persons that homosexuals shouldn't get married."

Click here to read it.

FOX News - this is just sad.....just sad.

You've gotta love the Republican, I mean, FOX News Channel for their in-depth "investigative" reporting!

How sad is this?

Kentucky Senate Passes Ban on Domestic-Partner Benefits.

As most of you probably know, the Senate passed a bill to ban domestic-partner benefits at all Kentucky public institutions.

Senate Bill 5 (passed 28-6): Create a new section of KRS Chapter 61 to define a "public agency" as any agency participating in a state-administered retirement system or plan, any agency participating in the state health insurance plan, and any public institution subject to KRS Chapter 164; define "family member" as the employee's spouse, natural or adopted children, stepchildren, and children for whom legal guardianship has been awarded; require public agencies to allow the employee to select health insurance coverage for only the employee and family members of the employee.

Amend to make technical changes; add grandchildren for whom legal guardianship or legal custody has been awarded to the definition of "family member"; declare an EMERGENCY.

It remains to be seen what the House of Representatives will do with Senate Bill 5 when and if it makes its way to the House after the "cooling off period."

Fletcher's appeal to his right wing ultra-conservative voters appears to be paying off. Hasting Wyman's Southern Political Report released a poll conducted by InsiderAdvantage/Majority Opinion showing Democrat Steve Beshear with a 41 percent to 38 percent lead over Republican Governor Ernie Fletcher.

House of Representatives Adjourns; Kentucky Families Safe.....for now.

House Speaker Richards and the entire House of Representatives immediately adjourned the special session called by Governor Fletcher.

"The House of Representatives did what was right for Kentucky families and taxpayers." "Speaker Richards stated it best that the session could cost up to 2.5 million dollars (if it lasted for the anticipated 8 weeks) and that Governor Fletcher should have showed support for energy initiatives during the 2006 and 2007 General Assembly and otherwise kept his veto pen in his desk." - Jordan Palmer

Hats off to the House of Representatives for the leadership and knowledge they showed today in Frankfort.

UPDATE - Official Statement - 11:48 PM
Kentucky Equality Federation praises the wisdom of House Speaker Richards and the entire House of Representatives for immediately adjourning the special session called by Governor Fletcher. The House of Representatives voted to end a special legislative session called by Republican Governor Ernie Fletcher an hour after it started.

"The House of Representatives did what was right for Kentucky families and taxpayers," stated Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer. "Governor Fletcher apparently has no core beliefs of his own, his decisions seem to be nothing more than a calculation of how he can stay in office."

Governor Fletcher added a ban on domestic-partner benefits at universities and public agencies to the agenda of the special session that could have cost taxpayers $60,000.00 per day to hold.

Kentucky Equality Federation supported Governor Fletcher's original statement that universities should determine their own policies. But the Governor changed his mind in the middle of an election year and added it to a 'laundry list' as a reason to call the General Assembly into session.

Several Kentucky universities and public agencies offer affordable health insurance to both heterosexual and homosexual couples.

Love in Action's "Refuge" shutdown.

In 2005, 16-year-old "Zach's" MySpace blog revealed that he was about to be involuntarily committed to Love In Action’s youth live-in program “Refuge.” He was committed to a two-month stay in the residential program, and his plight spawned international outrage along with unprecedented protests in Memphis. (more)

The State of Tennessee investigated Refuge last year after learning that clients were being dispensed medications by unlicensed personnel. Finally, after two years of scrutiny, it’s over. Refuge is no more.

It also inspired filmmaker Morgan Fox to begin filming the documentary, “This Is What Love In Action Looks Like,” set for release in January 2008.

Congratulations to the Tennessee's Queer Action Coalition ("QAC") for all their fine and careful activism. Special thanks also to Brandi Walker, Kentucky Equality Federation's Awareness Coordinator for bringing the original story to our attention!

Love in Action (homosexual to heterosexual).

From: Brandi Walker, Awareness Representative, Kentucky Equality Federation

Tenessee based religious Christian organization Love in Action has received national attention for it's efforts in tying to turn gay youth to "straight youth."

This organization makes claims that homosexual behavior is immoral and links it to therapy treatment alongside pornography and promiscuity. Parents of gay youth, especially conservative Christians, are inclined to believe their child is mentally ill and is in need of mental and religious counseling, because they are not walking the path their "God" has chosen for them. The false hope parents grasp to in programs like those managed by Love in Action, are not only unethical, but can cause extreme psychological abuse to an individual, which can contribute to emotional and mental stress in a child. These stressors and detrimental therapy can lead a child to thinking something about he/she is wrong, immoral, out of the ordinary, and/or evil.

For children to be programmed by both their parents, religious leaders, and counselors in a setting like Love in Action's 5 acres of seclusion, can cause a child to have an emotional and mental break down. A child who instead of being accepted for who he/she is, is taught discrimination, denial of one's feelings, and identity rejection. These factors are all labeled "therapy" and the children are fed religious and social standards of "morals" of acceptance, through techniques such as "group think", shame, peer pressure, religious pressure, and guilt. Programs like Love in Action MUST be stopped. These children can grow up doubting and suppressing their emotions and ideas of themselves in matters of opinion, interests, and beliefs, because Love in Action has taught them to reject their inner feelings of truth and identity.

Please, contact corporate supporters of Love in Action and let them know you will not purchase their products/services of their company because of their support of this program.

The Wingate Hotel (http://www.wingateinns.com/Wingate) offers discounts to travels who mention "Love in Action." This is ridiculous, irresponsible, and morally unjustifiable.

Tell them of your disapproval at the following link: http://www.wingateinns.com/Wingate/control/contact_us_form.

- Daniel Newell