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Joe Pyrah
A blowout on the freeway stalled a blow-up of a bill Friday.
After more than 30 minutes of testimony on legislation aimed to protect sexual orientation in the workplace, Rep. Steve Clark, R-Provo, walked in late and asked to have more time to study it. While the House Business and Labor Committee complied, the earlier debate was passionate on both sides.
"When employees create value and do their job, they bring great value to the workforce and no one cares what their sexual orientation is," said Dalane England, a business owner and member of the conservative Eagle Forum.
Creating a sexual-orientation class only opens the door to more discrimination and for more groups to apply for such status, she said.
"Are we going to be in here next week or next year dealing with polygamy?"
There are people who care what another's sexual orientation is, said business owner John Netto, and it's high time the state did something about those discriminating against it.
"It seems to me compassion should guide us right now," he said.
He said he has disciplined employees for improper conduct.
Rep. Christine Johnson, D-Salt Lake City, who is sponsoring the bill, said it came about after a case went all the way to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals before justices there said they could provide no relief because Utah didn't have a law covering the issue.
"I consider that an invitation by the 10th Circuit Court to correct this problem," Johnson said. "This bill is not about morality or marriage equality, it is about discrimination in the workplace."
Bryan Horn went through 44 attorneys after he was fired just weeks ago from a credit-union job in Provo. The official cause was "conduct unbecoming an employee," but Horn insists it was because he is gay.
Not one of the attorneys would help him, he said, because Utah does not have a law against sexual discrimination.
He said one executive went so far as to say "we don't want your kind" when he tried to contest the firing.
Horn is a former president of the College Republicans at Utah Valley State College and announced last year that he's running for a Utah House seat this year.
The problem with legislation about sexual issues is that it's a perception problem, says Paul Mero, president of the conservative Sutherland Institute.
Sexual orientation, he believes, can't be defined because of how a person feels, and law needs tangible evidence.
"That's how the law has to work," he said.
His solution?
"All of these things can be handled on a case-by-case basis in-house," Mero said.
Horn would disagree.
"I served my clients very well," he said. Now he's living on his savings "trying to find a job."
The bill was to be rescheduled for more hearings at a later date by the committee.
HB 89
Sponsored by: Rep. Christine A. Johnson, D-Salt Lake City
Antidiscrimination Act Amendments: This bill would modify the Utah Antidiscrimination Act to address discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
• UTAH ANTIDISCRIMINATION& LABORDIVISION has received 14 inquiries about sexual orientation discrimination since June 2007; the division has filed 291 complaints based on discrimination currently included under law.
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