Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 17:37:06 -0400 From: Maggie Heineman Subject: Pennsylvania Expose - 5/13/96 ================================================================== Pennsylvania Expose - 5/13/96 Pennsylvania Expose(X-Poz) is a project of the Fight the Right Network and the People for the American Way Action Fund. The two-page formatted faxletter version is on the web at http://www.liberynet.org/~exposepa. We are soliciting voluteers who will download the acrobat version to be a part of a statewide fax-tree network. ================================================================== A. Anti-marriage bills in Washington and Harrisburg A.1. National anti-marriage bill A.2. Pennsylvania anti-marriage bill B. U.S.Senate Judiciary Comm. to vote on Parental Rights Bill C. Lobbyists Disclosure Law for Pennsylvania D. Paula in Penna and PAX E. Calendar ================================================================== A. Anti-marriage bills in Washington and Harrisburg A.1.National anti-marriage bill based on an alert from Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Congressional Hearings on the "Defense of Marriage Act" (DOMA - H.R.3396/S 1704) are scheduled for Wednesday, May 15. The hearings on H.R. 3396 will be held in the Constitution Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee. No Pennsylvanians are on that subcommittee. Senator Specter is a member of the Senate Judiciary committee to S 1704 has been assigned. The introduction of federal legislation follows a year in which the extremist Right has moved the issue of same- gender marriage to the top of its anti-gay agenda. DOMA would, for the first time, create a federal definition of marriage. Currently, civil same-gender marriage is not permitted anywhere in the United States. This Federal legislation, like the more than 30 anti-marriage measures introduced at the state level, is in anticipation of an upcoming Hawaii court decision that could legalize same-gender marriage in that state. That decision, however, will probably not be decided for two years. A.2. Pennsylvania Anti-Marriage Bill based on the alert from Pennsylvania Freedom to Marry Coalition On May 8, Allan Egolf introduced legislation into the Pennsylvania House (HB 2604) to void marriages in Pennsylvania that are legal in other states. The Hawaiian court decision that could legalize same-gender marriage is two years away. States that have enacted anti-marriage legislation are already involved in legal challenges. There should be continued discussion of the marriage issue over the next two years, not premature legislation which is an attempt to divide the country by beating up on gay men and lesbians. Action: Call both your federal and state lawmakers concerning the anti-marriage legislation. Tell them that gay marriage is not an attack on traditional marriage and family. Tell them not to pass laws that will cost taxpayer dollars to defend in court. ================================================================== B. Senate Judiciary Committee to vote on Parental Rights Bill by Brian Gocial, People For the American Way Action Fund In an effort to appease the Christian Coalition, Concerned Women for America, and other far-right organizations, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight passed the "Parental Rights and Responsibilities Act" on April 17th. The bill will be voted on by the full Judiciary Committee on May 16, 1996. The "Parental Rights and Responsibilities" Act, part of the Christian Coalition's Contract with the American Family, states that no federal, state or local government "shall interfere with or usurp the right of a parent to direct the upbringing of the child of the parent." Issues surrounding education, health and mental health, discipline, and religious teaching are only some of the areas in which suits could be brought against a government entity or government employee. Under this legislation, a single right-wing activist could sue: --a librarian for placing a book about a controversial subject on the shelves; --a teacher for having a classroom discussion about Romeo and Juliet and suicide; --a school counselor for advising a child about drug abuse counseling; --a police officer for reporting a case of suspected child abuse; -- and a child protective service worker for investigating allegations of neglect. While proponents say that they are merely seeking a federal "opt out," the legislation requires that government action be suspended until the matter goes to court. This will keep children in abusive homes, pull books off of shelves and out of classrooms, and interrupt locally designed curriculum for an entire classroom. Action: Call Senator Arlen Specter, 202.224.4254 and tell him to oppose Senate Bill 984, the "Parental Rights and Responsibilities Act." ================================================================== C. Lobbyist Disclosure Law for Pennsylvania by Barry Kauffman, Common Cause At a Capitol rotunda press conference in Harrisburg last week, public interest organizations and lawmakers representing every point on the political spectrum, demanded passage of legislation that would expose the activities of some of Harrisburg's most influential powerbrokers -- the Capitol Hill lobbyists. For nearly a decade Common Cause/PA has been issuing studies demonstrating the absolute ineffectiveness and lack of enforceability of the Commonwealth's current lobbying law. Senate Bill 1180 & House Bill 1946 will provide Pennsylvania's citizens a fuller understanding of the forces at play in the legislative and regulatory processes-- an understanding of the relationships between lobbyists, special interests, government officials, and the development of public policy. The backers of this long overdue reform are seeking a new statute that will accomplish four important goals: - Require lobbyists and their principals to identify the public policies they are attempting to influence, - Mandate lobbyists and principals full disclosure of the total amount of resources they are committing to their lobbying related efforts, - Direct lobbyists and principals to identify all Political Action Committees affiliated with their operations, and - Transfer enforcement of the lobbyist law from employees of the legislature to the State Ethics Commission. Some of the organizations backing the lobbyist reform drive include United We Stand America (PA Chapter), League of Women Voters (of the Harrisburg area), PA Public Interest Research Group, Common Cause/PA, Gray Panthers (Crawford Co. Chapter), Pennsylvanians Against Higher Taxes, Smokefree PA, Public Citizen, No Dice, Sierra Club (PA Chapter), The American Heart Association (Southeastern PA Affiliate) and Citizen Action. Even officials from the PA Association for Government Relations, the lobbyists' lobby, and the PA Society of Association Executives have recognized that Pennsylvania's lobby law needs clarification and upgrading. ================================================================== D. Paula in Penna and PAX by Maggie Heineman, Pennsylvania Expose Project <> PAX is our nickname for Pennsylvania Expose. Paula X. is the founder and editor of C.C. Watch, an electronic news service which tracks and reports the activities of Pat Robertson, and his various enterprises especially the Christian Coalition and the 700 club. Because of Richard Schenker and his activities in Northwest Pennsylvania, C.C. Watch has been working with the Citizens Interfaith Council for Democracy (CICD) in Erie. The Fight the Right Network (FTRN) Internet activists in Philadelphia are fans C.C. Watch. When PAX brought the CICD and FTRN into contact with each other and with the Interfaith Coalition for Religious Pluralism (ICRP) in Montgomery County, one thing led to another and the three groups decided to bring Paula to Pennsylvania for the May 18, 19 and 20 appearances. See the calendar listing. =================================================================== E. Calendar May 10-19 - Breast Cancer Educational Programs, Nittany Mall, State College, Sponsored by The PA Breast Cancer Coalition, AARP, American Cancer Society, and many others. Call Ann Ward, 814.863.8693 May 16 Thursday - 3:30 PM Rally to support public school funding, Philadelphia City Hall (west side) and the Capitol Building in Harrisburg. Sponsored by Coalition to Close the Gap & Parents Union. Call 215.546.1166 May 18-20 Saturday - 1:30-4:30 PM Town Meeting with Paula Xanthopoulou and local activists. Keynote: "The Christian Coalition Unveiled." First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. Fight the Right Network. Call Maggie Heineman 215.389.1400 (box 6) maggie@critpath.org. May 19 Sunday - 7:00 PM Paula Xanthopoulou Forum, Citizens Interfaith Council for Democracy, Temple Anshe Hesed, Erie. Call Al Richardson 814.445.9730 asrjr@aol.com May 20 Monday - Paula Xanthopoulou Forum, Interfaith Coalition for Religious Pluralism, Temple Beth Am, Abington. Call Mort Metersky 215.672.4598 metersky@aol.com June 1 Saturday "Stand for Children", Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C., sponsored by Childrens Defense Fund & others. Call 800.326.7329. June 12 Wednesday 7:00 PM - "Witness for Peace - Haiti", Robin Hoy speaks on life in poorest nation in Western Hemisphere & action based solutions, sponsored by Bucks County Peace Center. Call 215.750.7220. =================================================================== Pennsylvania Expose - May 13, 1996 Pennsylvania Expose is published three times a month. It is based on postings to the pa-expose@critpath.org E-mail list. To subscribe to the main list (daily announcements, discussion) mail to: listproc@critpath.org in the body: subscribe pa-expose To subscribe to the low-volume list (newsletter, occasional alerts) mail to: listproc@critpath.org in the body: subscribe pa-explv ===Pennsylvania Expose Project -- http://www.libertynet.org/~exposepa --FTRN Communications Working Group --- 215.389.1400 http://www.critpath.org/ftrn/ ---People for the American Way Action Fund --- 800.326.7329 http://www.pfaw.org/ ==================== Permission to Repost ========================