Of great concern are proposed amendments to the Act which would allow a teacher who is transitioning to to be transferred to another school or district against their will.

The Act is important to the many transgendered citizens that call Connecticut their home. Discrimination should never be tolerated and people who need protection should be given all the protections our laws can offer to them.

Love Makes a Family PAC is urging you to contact your legislators on the Judiciary Committee to voice your opposition to the proposed amendments and to tell them that you support the Act as it was written.  They offer the following to assist you:

1. Find out who your legislators are by visiting Project Vote Smart and entering your full address with zip code in the search bar. Your state representative and state senator will be listed under the header “Current Officials” and the subheader “State Legislative.”

2. Go to this page to see if your state representative or state senator are on the Judiciary Committee.

3. If one or both of your legislators are on the Judiciary Committee, please call them at home and at their offices in Hartford. The 2011 Legislative Guide lists legislators’ home phone numbers on pages 8 – 113. If a legislator’s number is not listed, please call their offices and leave messages with their aides at the following numbers:

* House Democrats 1-800-842-8267
* House Republicans 1-800-842-8270
* Senate Democrats 1-800-842-1420
* Senate Republicans 1-800-842-1421

4. When you call, simply introduce yourself to the legislator (or aide), stating that you are a constituent calling to ask that they support HB 6599: An Act Concerning Discrimination by voting on it as written when it comes up for a vote. Be sure to say what town you live in and make these 3 requests:

1. To please be present at the Judiciary Committee meeting when HB 6599: An Act Concerning Discrimination comes up for a vote

2. To vote in support of HB 6599: An Act Concerning Discrimination as written and

3. Please do not support any amendments that allow discrimination
Here is a sample script, which you can adapt if you’re leaving a voicemail or a message with an aide:

Hi, Representative or Senator Jones, my name is Terry Smith. I am your constituent. I live in Wallingford over on Elm Street. I am calling to urge you to vote in favor of HB 6599: An Act Concerning Discrimination, as written. Please do not support any amendments that allow teachers to be discriminated against. This bill is about fairness and equality for all of our state’s residents. Will you attend the committee meeting this Wednesday and vote for HB 6599 as written?

If you are leaving a message, leave your phone number in case the legislator wishes to call back.

4. Important: Once you’ve called your legislators, get back in touch with ctEQUALITY and tell us how your conversations went. We need to know how our legislators are responding! To report back, just e-mail stamarkin@cwealf.org.

This is an important piece of legislation that requires everyone’s continued support until it is finally passed.   Don’t allow opponents to persuade our legislators to vote against HB 6599 for the same tired reasons they always use to trounce on GLBT causes.  Our laws have no room for hysteria and discrimination.  Take a few minutes today to become involved.  Pass this on to every voter you know.  Stand up and be counted.

It’s important.

For more information and resources, read my post An Act Concerning Discrimination Addresses Gender Identity and Expression on Connecticut Lesbian and Gay Law blog.

UPDATE 4/6/11:  The Judiciary Committee passed HB 6599 last night in a 27-14 vote without the discriminatory amendments.  The bill is now on its way to the floor of the House.

Read: Judiciary Committee Passes Gender Non-Discrimination Bill [CT News Junkie]

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Disclaimer: The information, comments and links posted on the blog do not constitute legal advice. I will not respond to any specific legal questions in the comments section of this blog. Read my entire disclaimer.

copyright 2011 Irene C. Olszewski

After reading a Hartford Courant article about Dr. William Petit’s testimony before the Judiciary Committee on the death penalty, I got to wondering about the history of capital punishment. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes as early as the Eighteenth Century B.C. At that time, crucifixions, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and impalement were favored methods of implementing the death penalty.

In 1608, Captain George Kendall was executed in the Jamestown colony of Virginia for being a spy for Spain. That was the first recorded execution in the new colonies. Four years later, in 1612, the Divine, Moral and Martial Laws were enacted by Virginia Governor Sir Thomas Dale. Under those laws, a person could be sentenced to the death penalty for such minor offenses as stealing grapes.

On December 26, 1862, during the Dakota War of 1862, the simultaneous hanging of 38 Dakota people convicted of murder and rape was the largest single execution in United States history.

The death penalty was suspended in the United States from 1972 through 1976 primarily as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision in Furman v. Georgia. The court found the imposition of the death penalty in a consolidated group of cases to be unconstitutional, on the grounds of cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the eighth amendment to the United States Constitution.

The moratorium on capital punishment ended when on January 17, 1977, Gary Gilmore was executed by firing squad in Utah. His famous last words were, “Let’s do it.” Later that year, Oklahoma became the first state to adopt lethal injection as a means of execution. On December 7, 1982, Charles Brooks became the first person executed by lethal injection in Texas.

The fate of capital punishment in Connecticut is now before the Judiciary Committee. There are strong and passionate arguments on both sides of this controversial issue. It’s anybody’s guess how this will turn out.