KANSAS POLITICIANS KEEP HOMOSEXUALITY ILLEGAL

Two representatives in the Kansas state legislature have scuppered plans to remove a law banning homosexuality in that US state in order to get a bill passed at any cost.

Representatives Jan Pauls (Democrat), and Lance Kinzer (Republican) made a successful motion in the Kansas Legislature’s Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee to keep the criminalisation of gay and lesbian relationships on the law books.

The lawmakers removed a provision reversing the ban on homosexuality from a bill that aims to resolve inconsistencies in the Kansas criminal code, as well as remove unconstitutional laws.

The anti-gay law has remained on the books despite the United States Supreme Court having struck down all state laws criminalising gay and lesbian relationships in 2003.

According to the two politicians, the provision was removed to avoid other representatives rejecting the bill in its entirety when it comes to a vote. They insisted that the anti-gay law is not enforceable anyway and the matter is a storm in a teacup.

“Representatives Pauls’ endorsement of an unconstitutional statute that’s used to threaten and discriminate against law-abiding Kansas citizens is an outrage,” said Thomas Witt, state Chairman for the Kansas Equality Coalition.

“She took an oath as both judge and state representative to uphold the Constitution. We insist that Representative Kinzer and she be immediately removed as Chair and Ranking Minority from the House Judiciary Committee. Legislators who wilfully ignore the Constitution should never be in positions of leadership and responsibility.”

The Kansas Equality Coalition said that it would hold a demonstration against the actions of the two lawmakers.