Oregon equality, we can’t afford to be complacent

With an update from Basic Rights Oregon today I am reminded of all that is going on behind the scenes in Oregon right now as the battle continues over Oregon Domestic Partnerships and our anti-discrimination laws.

Here is the update from Basic Rights Oregon.

Ballot Measure Update

After two failed referendum attempts, and in spite of having their case thrown out of court by a conservative lower court judge, the out-of-state groups trying to turn back the clock on equality in Oregon won’t take no, no and NO for an answer.

First, the out-of-state Alliance Defense Fund appealed the District Court’s dismissal of Lemons v. Bradbury to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. This is the lawsuit that seeks to revive last year’s failed referendum on Oregon’s domestic partnership law by forcing Oregon election officials to change the way they treat signatures on petitions.

A three judge panel will hear oral arguments on July 7, and we expect a ruling within a week or two of that hearing. If the Court were to rule against the State of Oregon, the referendum could be placed on the November ballot.

Basic Rights Oregon’s legal team continues to play a key role in this case ? yesterday, our attorney filed our latest brief in the case. Click here for more background on Lemons v. Bradbury, including links to court documents.

Meanwhile, our opponents have filed three separate initiatives to repeal Oregon’s domestic partnership and anti-discrimination laws. In late March, they filed nitiative Petition 144, which would retroactively repeal domestic partnerships, and IP 145, to repeal statutes prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation. One month later, they filed IP 146, another domestic partnership repeal petition. We suspect they filed IP 146 with the intention of ditching IP 144, which contains significant errors in its wording, but they have not yet officially withdrawn IP 144.

In order to qualify for the November ballot, each petition would require 82,769 valid signatures by July 3. So far, none of these petitions is yet on the streets – they have been stalled by legal challenges brought by Basic Rights Oregon and the Oregon ACLU to ensure fair and accurate ballot titles. And we know these out-of-state, anti-equality groups are hobbled by an unpopular message and faltering support.

But we also have to be prepared for the reality that any day now, at least one of these petitions is likely to be cleared for circulation. We know that our opponents are jumpstarting their efforts using a database of more than 50,000 supporters from their failed 2007 campaign. We know that new rules allow petitions to be distributed by e-mail. And we know from past experience that we can’t afford to be complacent.

As soon as we get word that our opponents have begun gathering signatures, we’ll hit the streets to organize fair minded Oregonians at fairs, festivals and farmers markets across the state. If you have an afternoon or a weekend that you can devote to volunteering with us, let us know! Send an e-mail to bro@basicrights.org.