Gay rights: Perennial bill will be back

Gay-rights legislation banning discrimination based on sexual orientation is expected to come up again this session, as it has almost perennially for more than 20 years.

But supporters say the measure has one of its best chances ever of passing this year. State law now bans discrimination by race, sex, religion, national origin, marital status and other categories. The bill would add sexual orientation to that list.

Gay-rights legislation has passed the House several times and is expected to do so again this session, said Rep. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, longtime sponsor of the bill.

That would throw the focus on the Senate, where Republicans have repeatedly blocked the bill, saying their constituents don't favor gay-rights legislation. Democrats hold a slimmer majority in that chamber, and they have some conservative members who've sided with Republicans on the issue.

Last year the legislation reached the Senate floor for the first time, only to die by one vote.

Supporters see Sen. Bill Finkbeiner, R-Kirkland, as the key to passing the bill this session. They hope the moderate senator, who voted against the measure last session, will change his mind.

Finkbeiner voted twice for gay-rights legislation when he served in the House as a Democrat.

Political strategists speculate Finkbeiner voted against the bill last year because he was the Senate Republican leader and had to cater to more-conservative members of his caucus. The thinking goes that because Finkbeiner stepped down as leader last month, he's now free to vote his beliefs.

Finkbeiner, for now, isn't saying how he'll vote.

Key Legislators on gay rights

Rep. Ed Murray, D-Seattle: sponsor of the bill.
(360) 786-7826 or www1.leg.wa.gov/house/murray

Sen. Bill Finkbeiner, R-Kirkland: possible swing vote.
(360) 786-7672 or www1.leg.wa.gov/senate/finkbeiner

Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla: opposes the bill.
(360) 786-7630, www1.leg.wa.gov/senate/hewitt