Fair is fair on gay rights

This is the year. After decades of haggling over the gay-anti-discrimination bill, the Legislature should pass fair-minded legislation without further hesitation, fear or political gamesmanship.

House Bill 1515 would ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment, lending, renting and home buying. Many Washingtonians wonder who needs this legislation now? Didn't we already do this? No, but not for lack of trying.

Passing the gay-civil-rights bill has been a longtime goal for Rep. Ed Murray, a Seattle Democrat who is gay. It was also the goal of Sen. Cal Anderson, who died in 1995.

In our state, it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, marital status, mental or physical handicap. The legislation would add sexual orientation to the list. That should not be too tall an order.

The bill does not confer special rights to gays or lesbians. It does not allow quotas or preferential treatment in hiring. Nor does the bill have anything to do with gay marriage.

The law simply would level the playing field in everyday business transactions. It protects lesbians, for example, who have difficulty renting apartments in rural areas. It provides certainty to lesbians and gays trying to hold onto jobs throughout the state.

Many cities and counties and businesses already have policies prohibiting discrimination against gay people. But the protections are not statewide — and they should be. Passing the civil-rights bill in Olympia is a matter of assuring fair business practices for everyone and putting the state on record as opposing discrimination.

Senate Republicans must decide if the GOP will be a party for all of Washington and if it will remain strong in the suburbs, where voters are more moderate on social issues.

The bill has passed the House with the support of some moderate, suburban Republicans. It awaits action in the Senate, where the bill has had difficulties in the past.

Let's get on with it. Let's make this the year lawmakers enact this sensible, fair-minded piece of legislation.