Official : Discrimination targets simply being shifted

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Several controversial topics scheduled to reach the floor today at the capital in Lincoln, Nebraska, should provide for extensive testimony on both sides of the issues, according to Sen. Mark Christensen. Among them is the topic of discriminating based on sexual orientation, an issue being pushed without consideration for the rights of religious organizations or businesses, according to Sen. Christensen.

"It will take away rights of businesses, churches and individuals and will bring a lot more lawsuits," Sen. Christensen said to members of the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce, during their weekly legislative conference call at the Keystone Business Center this morning.

Chamber member Larry Eisenmenger read an article pertaining to an Oregon lawsuit, which cited a business being fined $50,000 for refusing to make a same-sex wedding cake for a customer.

"It's a scary road to go down," said Sen. Christensen, adding that a year ago he would not have believed such a bill would pass, but after the vote on the floor pertaining to his WEC bill, he believed anything could happen.

Chamber member Dale Dueland said a Supreme Court ruling on the topic was likely in the near future and added "there are a lot of people being discriminated against."

Sen. Christensen responded that reverse discrimination against churches and employers was not the solution.

Dueland said he believed it was a relationship between the employees and employers, "up to them to decide in the interview process."

Sen. Christensen replied that in a recent California case a church had a signed agreement from a woman before they hired her, to abide by the provisions of their church. She was subsequently terminated by the church after she became pregnant and it was discovered she was unmarried and living with her boyfriend. According to Sen. Christensen a lawsuit ensued after she was fired, one which he believed the woman was going to win.

Dueland said that raised concerns pertaining to legislation with language that was not good for the future.

Sen. Christensen said opponents of another bill, LB 204, which would criminalize failing to report animal abuse incidents within 24 hours, testified recently that if ranchers simply operated out of glass walled buildings animal abuse supervision would be more effective and less intrusive. Sen. Christensen said the testimony seemed odd and he thought the Humane Society of the United States should themselves look at practicing more transparency, saying that 90 percent of the money they raised was spent on furthering political agendas.

LB 204 would also create penalties for individuals who make false statements or representation as part of an application to be employed at an animal facility, with the intent of damaging the facility's operations.

LB 447, a bill which intends to tax soft drinks, is unlikely to be passed according to Sen. Christensen. He said he opposed the bill in its current form because he disagreed with the funds going primarily into an obesity fund.

The bill defines soft drinks as nonalcoholic beverages that contain natural or artificial sweeteners and excludes beverages that contain milk products, soy, rice, milk substitutes or 100 percent vegetable or fruit juice.