Showdown In Wyoming As Anti-Discrimination Republican Boots Anti-Gay Rep From Meeting
The Republican-dominated Wyoming House is usually free from contentious debates. With Republicans controlling the chamber by a massive 51 to 9 margin, conservative bills usually sail through with super-majorities, and liberal bills almost invariably die in committee.
Partisan rancor is limited, because the odds are stacked so heavily towards the right wing, that most bills either get rubber stamped or squashed by the lopsided GOP majority. However, on Friday, heated debate over an anti-discrimination bill produced some rare legislative fireworks in a committee hearing.
The conflict occurred during a debate over Senate File 115, a Senate-passed measure sent to the House for approval. The Labor, Health and Social Services Committee met to determine whether the measure should be pass through the committee to be voted on by the entire House. The bill would add “sexual orientation or gender identity” to existing laws that protect people from discrimination based on race, religion, age and other protected classes.
After a contentious two hour debate, Committee Chairwoman Elaine Harvey (R-Lovell) evicted Rep. Harlan Edmonds (R-Cheyenne) from the meeting. The effective date for the bill to be enacted into law is set for July 1, 2015. Edmonds suggested the bill be amended to take effect “when hell freezes over”. That remark prompted Harvey to toss Edmonds out of the meeting. She had insisted at the beginning of the meeting, and during the meeting, that civility needed to prevail. Prior to his caustic “when hell freezes over” comment, Edmonds had also sardonically asked why pedophiles weren’t protected by the law.
More:
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/02/21/showdown-wyoming-anti-discrimination-republican-boots-anti-gay-rep-meeting.html
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That pedophile amendment for personal protection
