Gay rights opponents file initiative to repeal rights - Portland Business Journal:

Gay rights opponents file initiative to repeal rights - Portland Business Journal:

Portland Business Journal
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Opponents of domestic partnerships want Oregon voters to repeal a 2007 law establishing legal rights for gay and lesbian couples.

State Rep. Sal Esquivel, R-Medford, state Senator Gary George, R-McMinnville, and former Sen. Marilyn Shannon of Brooks filed Initiative Petition 146 Monday with the Oregon Secretary of State, Bill Bradbury. It seeks to repeal House Bill 2007, the Family Fairness Act, which became law Jan. 1.

The petition requires 82,769 signatures to qualify for the Nov. 4 ballot.

The Secretary of State is accepting input on whether the initiative satisfies procedural constitutional requirements to be circulated for signatures. Comments are due by April 22.

The initiative, "Provides that domestic partnerships do not grant to an individual the privileges, immunities, rights and benefits granted by law through marriage to individuals. Further, provides that any responsibility imposed by law on individual who is or was married not be imposed on individual who is or was in domestic partnership."

The Family Fairness Act is one of two controversial bills affecting gay and lesbian Oregonians that became law this year. The other, the Oregon Equality Act, prohibits discrimination in the workplace, as well as in housing and public accommodations.

Initiative 146 is the latest attempt to ask voters to undo the new laws.

Initiative 144 to repeal the domestic partnership law, was filed on Feb. 29.

Initiative 145 would repeal the Oregon Equality Act and was filed on March 3.

None of the proposed ballot measures have been certified.