N.J. Passes Pro-Homosexual Measure

Story

N.J. Passes Pro-Homosexual Measure

Special Report - January 14, 2008
Homosexual activists celebrated a victory in New Jersey last week with the state legislature’s passage of a controversial bill that expands the state’s existing hate crimes law to include “gender identity or expression.” The measure—which passed unanimously in the state Senate on January 4 and in the state Assembly on January 7 by a vote of 63 to 12—also requires new police officers to attend hate crimes sensitivity training classes, establishes a Commission on Bullying in Schools, and requires schools to post and distribute anti-bullying policies. According to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund, if Governor Jon Corzine signs the bill as he is expected to do, New Jersey will become the 12th state in the nation with a “transgender-inclusive” hate crimes law. The state’s hate crime statute already included enhanced protections based on “sexual orientation.” In a press release, Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund, praised the bill’s passage. “New Jersey has long been a national leader on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, but today rises to the top with two of the strongest hate crimes and safe schools laws in the country and unequivocal protections for transgender people,” Foreman said.

When the General Assembly returns in May, North Carolina could face its own battle over a so-called “anti-bullying” bill that would promote homosexuality and transgenderism in schools under the guise of protecting students. HB 1366—School Violence Prevention Act, which is currently pending in the General Assembly, would require local school boards to amend their existing anti-bullying and harassment policies to include special protections for public school students and staff who engage in or identify with homosexuality, bisexuality, cross-dressing and other “alternative” sexual behaviors. HB 1366 passed the House last May. In the waning days of the session, the Senate Judiciary 2 Committee heard the bill in a committee meeting on the Senate floor and removed a section from the bill that enumerated specially protected classifications including “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression.” HB 1366 then passed the Senate. But when the amended bill returned to the House for concurrence, Rep. Rick Glazier (D-Cumberland), the bill’s sponsor, made a motion on the House floor to send the bill to the House Judiciary 1 Committee, after the Senate indicated that it would not re-insert the objectionable language into the bill. This means that HB 1366 is still eligible for consideration when the General Assembly reconvenes later this year.

“North Carolinians should be deeply concerned about what is happening in New Jersey and other states in the nation with the passage of pro-homosexual legislation like this,” commented John Rustin, vice president and director of government relations for the North Carolina Family Policy Council. “North Carolina is not immune from similar actions here. In fact, although HB 1366 may not be as extensive as New Jersey’s ‘hate crimes’ and ‘safe schools’ laws, it would certainly represent a huge step in the same direction.”