Tag Archives: Arizona

Halfway down on the right. (Tipped by JMG reader Bob)

From the event’s Facebook page: People are starting to go to the Capitol and aiming for a large protest gathering TODAY between 4 and 6 pm. Signs, speakers, good shoes. Come and be seen. Peaceful and respectful actions! Arizona’s State Legislature and the conservative majority in control are pushing to pass the expanded “religious freedom” bills and then have them …

If you watched yesterday’s Arizona House debate, you’ll know that the only bright points of the entire disgusting exercise were the impassioned defenses of the LGBT community delivered by Democratic Minority Leader Rep. Chad Campbell. Apparently some of God’s Gentle People didn’t like that. Campbell, not incidentally, is straight and married to a woman. RELATED: Last year the Phoenix Tea …

The Arizona Republic reports on what happens next: The bill will be sent to Gov. Jan Brewer, who has five days to sign it into law, veto it or do nothing and allow it to become law. Specifically, the legislation proposes to: — Expand the state’s definition of the exercise of religion to include both the practice and observance of …

From the editorial board of the Arizona Republic: Gov. Jan Brewer’s pen is a powerful economic-development tool. She should use it to veto legislation that would allow businesses to refuse service to gays and lesbians on religious grounds. Doing so would further what Brewer calls “ongoing work to make Arizona the best state in the country for high-tech companies to …

Posted to the Facebook page of Rocco’s Little Chicago Pizzeria in Tucson. The restaurant has also posted this: “As a longtime employer and feeder of the gay community, Rocco’s reserves the right to eject any State Senators we see fit to kick out. That is all.” The photo has been shared over 2000 times and many commenters are vowing to …

The Senate approved the bill yesterday. Watch live here. UPDATE: This is one of the more lively of these things. We’ve got some fantastic advocates in the Arizona House. UPDATE II:  The committee has passed the bill by a voice vote. The full House will hear the vote shortly. UPDATE III: As those of who watched know, the hero of …

By a vote of 17-13, yesterday afternoon the Arizona Senate approved a bill that would legalize anti-gay discrimination on the basis of “sincerely held religious beliefs.” The vote along party lines, with Republicans in the majority, came after supporters defeated an attempt to extend existing employment laws that bar discrimination based on religion and race to also include sexual orientation. …

Two weeks ago Arizona GOP state Rep. Steve Yarborough introduced a bill that would legalize discrimination against LGBT people on the grounds of religious beliefs. Today that bill was approved by an Arizona House committee. Critics told the committee that the bill’s primary purpose is to allow discrimination against gays. “It most decisively takes away reasonable protections people have from …

From a Washington Post op-ed written by Yale law professors Ian Ayres and William Eskridge: Eight U.S. states, and several cities and counties, have some version of what we call “no promo homo” provisions. Before the United States condemns the Russian statute’s infringement of free speech and academic freedom, it should recognize that our own republican forms of government have …

Arizona GOP state Rep. Steve Yarborough yesterday introduced a bill that would legalize discrimination against LGBT people on the grounds of religious beliefs. SB 1062 would allow businesses sued in a civil case to claim they have a legal right to not provide service to an individual or group because it would “substantially burden’’ their freedom of religion. Sen. Steve …

Clip recap: “New polls show a dramatic shift in public opinion following marriage equality in Utah. But that’s hasn’t stopped the Supreme Court from blocking weddings — for now. We have new details about cases in Arizona, Missouri, and West Virginia. Plus, legislators introduce a new marriage ban in Indiana, but with fewer backers than expected.”

Details.

Four Arizona gay couples yesterday filed a class action suit against the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. The suit, which names Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, Attorney General Tom Horne and County Clerk Michael Jeanes as defendants, was filed by attorneys Shawn and Ellen Aiken. It claimed that a voter-approved ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. “The plaintiffs are asking that …

Washed up movie star Steven Seagal says he’s thinking about running for governor of Arizona. The “Marked for Death” actor told KNXV-TV that he is considering a shot at the state’s highest office and has had a talk about the bid with the self-proclaimed toughest sheriff in America. The 61-year-old made the comments while talking about his newly released reality …

Details.

The plan to place marriage equality on Arizona’s 2014 ballot has been dropped. Equal Marriage Arizona, which filed paperwork in June to gather signatures for the ballot measure, announced Monday that it will shut down its campaign. “The various LGBT advocacy groups in the state and nationally announced they weren’t going to throw their support behind the initiative,” said Equal …

Early this week I reported on the despicable campaign to recall openly gay Tucson school board member Daniel Hernandez, who is credited with saving the life of former Rep. Gabriel Giffords. Today Hernandez appeared on MSNBC to discuss that recall attempt and the attacks on Cory Booker’s sexuality.

Right Wing Watch reports: Daniel Hernandez Jr., the former intern credited with helping to save Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ life when she was shot in 2011 and now an elected member of a Tucson-area school board, is facing a nasty recall election in which anonymous opponents are attacking him for being openly gay and for his advocacy on behalf of gun …