Contact ND House Representatives in support of SB 2278

February 26, 2009 by admin 

SB 2278 was assigned to the Human Services Committee in the House today. We must contact Representatives in support of this important legislation immediately.

If passed, SB 2278 will prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation & gender identity in North Dakota. Please contact House Human Services Committee members and your local state Representatives and ask them to support SB 2278.

Contact us if you’d like to testify at the hearing. We will send notice as soon as it is scheduled. Written testimony may also be submitted through us.

* View Human Services Committee members
* Locate your state Representatives
* Testify at the state legislature
* Send us your written testimony and we will deliver it: glbt@ndhrc.org
* Spread the word to family & friends!

We can pass this legislation, but we need you and all of your friends and family to support it — and to urge legislators to do the same.


SB 2278 assigned to House committee

February 26, 2009 by admin 

SB 2278 was assigned to the Human Services Committee in the House today.

Contact the Representatives listed below in support of the bill. Ask friends & family to do the same — especially if you or they are from their district.

Human Services Committee:
Robin Weisz: rweisz@nd.gov, Chairman – Hurdsfield, District 14
Vonnie Pietsch: vpietsch@nd.gov, Vice Chairman – Casselton, D. 22
Tom Conklin: tconklin@nd.gov – Douglas, D. 4
Kari L. Conrad: kconrad@nd.gov – Minot, D. 3
Chuck Damschen: cdamschen@nd.gov – Hampden, D. 10
Robert Frantsvog: rfrantsvog@nd.gov – Minot, D. 40
Curt Hofstad: chofstad@nd.gov – Devils Lake, D. 15
Richard G. Holman: rholman@nd.gov – Mayville, D. 20
Robert Kilichowski: rkilichowski@nd.gov -Minto, D. 16
Michael R. Nathe: mrnathe@nd.gov – Bismarck, D. 30
Todd Porter: tkporter@nd.gov – Mandan, D. 34
Louise Potter: lpotter@nd.gov – Grand Forks, 17
Gerry Uglem: guglem@nd.gov -Northwood, 19


Senate vote record: SB 2278

February 20, 2009 by admin 

SB 2278 Passed in the Senate
Totals: Yea 27 | Nay 19 | Absent 1 | Excused 0
YEA: R=11, D=16
NEA: R=15, D=4

YEA Andrist, R – Crosby, 2
YEA Bakke, D – Grand Forks, 43
YEA Behm, D – Niagara, 19
YEA Fiebiger, D – Fargo, 45
YEA Flakoll, R – Fargo, 44
YEA Freborg, R – Underwood, 8
YEA Grindberg, R – Fargo, 41
YEA Heckaman, D – New Rockford, 23
YEA Holmberg, R – Grand Forks, 17
YEA Horne, D – Minot, 3
YEA Krebsbach, R – Minot, 40
YEA J. Lee, R – West Fargo, 13
YEA Lindaas, D – Mayville, 20
YEA Lyson, R – Williston, 1
YEA Mathern, D – Fargo, 11
YEA Nelson, D – Fargo, 21
YEA Nething, R – Jamestown, 12
YEA Oehlke, R – Devils Lake, 15
YEA Olafson, R – Edinburg, 10
YEA Pomeroy, D – Fargo, 27
YEA Potter, D – Bismarck, 35
YEA Robinson, D – Valley City, 24
YEA Schneider, D – Grand Forks, 42
YEA Seymour, D – Minot, 5
YEA Taylor, D – Towner, 7
YEA Triplett, D – Grand Forks, 18
YEA Warner, D – Ryder, 4

NAY Anderson, D – Wahpeton, 25
NAY Bowman, R – Bowman, 39
NAY Christmann, R – Hazen, 33
NAY Cook, R – Mandan, 34
NAY Dever, R – Bismarck, 32
NAY Dotzenrod, D – Wyndmere, 26
NAY Erbele, R – Lehr, 28
NAY Fischer, R – Fargo (South), 46
NAY Hogue, R – Minot, 38
NAY Kilzer, R – Bismarck, 47
NAY Klein, R – Fesseden, 14
NAY Krauter, D – Regent, 31
NAY G. Lee, R – Casselton, 22
NAY Miller, R – Park River, 16
NAY Nodland, R – Dickinson, 36
NAY O’Connell, D – Lansford, 6 – Senate Minority Leader
NAY Stenehjem, R  – Bismarck, 30
NAY Wanzek, R – Jamestown, 29
NAY Wardner, R – Dickinson, 37

ABS Marcellais

ND Senate votes 27-19 to pass SB 2278

February 20, 2009 by admin 

The Senate voted 27-19 to pass SB 2278 as amended. If passed by the House and signed by the Governor, the bill would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation & gender identity in North Dakota.

It was a great win and a significant margin. Thank you to everyone who contacted Senators.

Now SB 2278 moves onto the House where the process starts all over again. This time we lobby Representatives, and things will move much faster.

We will send out a message as soon as SB 2278 is assigned to a committee — then we can once again show our legislators how important this legislation is. Please don’t e-mail your Representative yet.

In the meantime:
* Spread the word to your family & friends
* E-mail your Senator to express your thanks for a ‘Yea’ vote or disappointment in a ‘Nay’ vote
(The Senate vote record is posted below)

Congratulations on a great grassroots effort in support of this bill!


Senate Judiciary Committee: ‘Do Pass’ on SB 2278

February 16, 2009 by admin 

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 6-0 ‘Do Pass’ on SB 2278, the bill to add sexual orientation & gender identity as a protected class in North Dakota. This is an encouraging victory, but we have more work to do.

The full Senate will likely vote on the bill this Wednesday or Thursday. This leaves a short window for all of us to contact our state senators in support. Every last vote counts.

Please e-mail your Senator right now and ask her or him to support the passage of SB 2278, the bill to add sexual orientation as a protected class in North Dakota. Locate your Senator here.

Also, please make a point to ask for support for the bill “as amended”. The current bill has been amended to include separate definitions for sexual orientation and gender identity. It remains inclusive. 

Enlist five friends to e-mail their Senators by the end of the day on Tuesday. We must show the legislature what kind of support is behind this bill. We must show them that North Dakotans want a fair, inclusive state to call home.


SB 2278 committee vote postponed

February 11, 2009 by admin 

The Judiciary Committee has postponed the vote on SB 2278 until Monday, February 16. The full Senate vote will also occur that same week.

If you haven’t already, please contact Senate Judiciary Committee members (http://tinyurl.com/9thgq7) or your local Senator (http://tinyurl.com/damrk8) and ask them to support SB 2278.

Letters to your local newspaper are helpful too.

Ask three friends to do the same!


NDSU Student Senate & Staff Senate support SB 2278

February 9, 2009 by admin 

Both Student Senate and Staff Senate at North Dakota State University have voted to support SB 2278, the bill to add sexual orientation and gender identity as a protected class in North Dakota.

We applaud those groups for stepping forward in support. It speaks volumes that students and those responsible for students’ education take such a clear stance on this legislation.


Funding Sources

February 8, 2009 by admin 

The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition is funded by individual and organizational donations from our membership and supporters, event sponsorship and grant support.

The Otto Bremer Foundation provided initial funding for the Coalition’s work. They have awarded the Coalition additioanl grants in years since. The most recent was a matching grant that was active in 2007 and 2008.

The Coalition is currently funded by the following foundations:

PFund: Support for education and advocacy work surrounding legislation to add sexual orientation as a protected class in North Dakota.

RESIST, Inc.: Support for education and advocacy work surrounding human rights issues during the 2009 North Dakota legislative session.

ND Student Ass’n votes to support SB 2278

February 8, 2009 by admin 

The North Dakota Student Association just voted unanimously to support SB 2278, the bill to add sexual orientation and gender identity as a protected class in North Dakota.

The North Dakota Student Association (NDSA) is a statewide student organization composed of student representatives from each of the 11 state-funded institutions of higher education also known as the North Dakota University System.

This sends a message loud and clear that young North Dakotans are in full support of equal treatment, fairness and opportunity for everyone.

Contact your senator today and let her/him know why you support SB 2778.

Tri-College NEW Leadership Development Institute: June 3-7, 2009‏

February 5, 2009 by admin 

The Tri-College NEW (National Education for Women’s) Leadership

Development Institute will be held June 3-7, 2009 at Concordia College

in Moorhead, MN. The intensive five-day residential program is designed

to provide leadership training, inspiration, and support for women who

do not have extensive leadership experience. There is particular

emphasis on recruiting women from groups that have typically been

underrepresented voices in the political process.

 

Thanks to the generosity of donors, there is no cost to participate.

Participants will have the option of registering for a three-credit

course in Women’s Studies, Sociology, or Social Work. Those who choose

to register for course credits will have to pay for the course

registration expenses. In addition, some scholarships are available to

assist with travel and/or childcare expenses.

 

For information and applications visit

http://www.tri-college.org/newleadership or call Deb White at 218-477-2041.

 

Applications will be accepted until March 27, 2009.

 

Participants attend workshops on running for office, public speaking,

fundraising, public policy advocacy, and working with the media. They

meet with over twenty women leaders, including state and local

officials, women in tribal government, and grassroots activists.

Participants and some women leaders reside on campus throughout the

institute, extending learning beyond the formal daytime sessions.

 

We seek applicants with interest in politics, leadership, public

service, or community service who desire to develop their leadership

skills. They need not be college students. Approximately 50 college and

community women will be accepted.