FIC is joined by gay and transgender activists to oppose HB6638 sent to Governor Lamont.
The Family Institute of Connecticut Action was joined Thursday, June 8, by local and national activists to condemn the passage of HB6638, An Act Revising the State’s Anti-discrimination Statute. In their press release, Peter Wolfgang, president of Family Institute of Connecticut Action, Jeffery Cleghorn, gay rights activist and attorney, and Christine Rebstock, a local transsexual rights advocate, condemned HB6638 as too expansive and extreme.
“We are accustomed to working with allies who may not share our view on all issues,” said Peter Wolfgang, “but forming a public alliance with gay and transsexual activists is new for us and we are glad to be opposing HB6638 with them.” FIC Action is asking Connecticut voters to contact Governor Lamont to veto HB6638.
In the last 4 weeks of the 2023 session, after it had already passed the House, FIC Action identified HB6638 as a bill that would radically expand Connecticut’s definition of “sexual orientation”. It would expand the definition from 3 particular genders to an identity rubric that would capture all sexual attractions, even attractions to children and babies. Our analysis was widely supported, including Jeffrey Cleghorn, former LAMBDA Legal Board Member and long time gay activist. Unfortunately, the bill passed the Connecticut Senate and is headed to the Governor for signature.
Some good news for Christian Businesses . .
Along with our allies, FIC Action was able to add a last minute amendment to the anti-discrimination enforcement provisions of CT’s law, giving Christian businesses an “escape hatch” should they be targeted by gender activists. And when we say “last minute”, we mean literally in the last minute on the last day of the 2023 session.
The “escape hatch” would transfer the complaint to another office if the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) finds a “reason to believe” a complainant has or currently is violating sex crime laws. No conviction necessary. This was not a total victory, but provides some protection for Christian employers and should deter vindictive lawsuits and the political persecutions we have seen in other states. We are still asking our members to contact Governor Lamont to veto HB6638.
Is your e-mail to Governor Lamont bouncing back? Use this form to send the message below: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/Contact/Email-Governor-Lamont.
Governor Lamont, in your campaign for governor you advocated for sensible laws for families. HB6638 would hurt Connecticut families and employers by subjecting them to harassment for not hiring or firing professed, no-touch, pedophiles. This bill is overly broad and opposed by Family Institute of Connecticut Action, transgender and gay activists – it is extremist and outside what most other states have permitted. Our families should not be exposed to danger or faced fines or worse in front of the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. This bill should have excluded all sexual attractions for which the underlying behavior is a sex crime. For these and other reasons I urge you to veto HB6638.
Text of message to send to Governor Lamont
