Gay rights bill advances

[Rose Siding]

SPRINGFIELD -- For the first time ever, the Illinois Senate approved a controversial measure Monday that would ban discrimination against gays and lesbians in matters of housing and employment, clearing a long-standing hurdle to passage and inspiring one key sponsor to proclaim a victory for "fundamental freedom."
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If sent to Blagojevich and signed into law, the measure will add "sexual orientation" to the list of reasons for which people cannot discriminate in housing, lending and employment. The measure specifically states that the law would not require any employer, lender, real estate agent or landlord to give preferential treatment or special rights to people based on their sexual orientation.

"It sends a message that we in the Illinois Senate and Illinois believe that everybody has the right to equal protection," an enthusiastic Sen. Carol Ronen (D-Chicago), the sponsor of the measure, said after the vote. "We're a state that cares about that. We're a state that values certain fundamental truths, and a certain fundamental freedom."
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Critics of the proposal claim the activists' ultimate goal is not just to end discrimination but to shift social norms about acceptable behavior. Some conservative religious leaders say if the gay rights bill passes, a push for gay marriage will be next.

Sen. Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton) warned his colleagues that they were opening that door.

"To vote yes, and to say, `Oh listen, I just voted for this very narrow thing.' Oh, no. Oh, no," he said. "We're voting on a much, much, much bigger agenda than that."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0501110468jan11,1,217013.story?coll=chi-news-hed