COLUMBUS — This week a self-styled “constitutional conservative” has teamed up with a Democrat to sponsor House Bill 369, a state version of the so called “Equality Act.” He claims he has widespread support before officially introducing the bill, but one public policy group says “not so fast.”
Freshman State Rep. Brett Hillyer (R-Urichsville) has joined Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood) to sponsor a companion bill to the “Ohio Fairness Act,” or Senate Bill 11 (SB 11). Together, they sent out a request letter on Tuesday to other State Representative colleagues for recruitment as co-sponsors.
The letter, co-authored by Hillyer, names six organizations that support the House version of the “Fairness Act,” including National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). However, after further review, it appears that Hillyer may have put the cart before the horse.
“Contrary to Representative Hillyer’s assertions, the NFIB confirmed to social conservative groups they are not a proponent of the “Ohio Fairness Act,”– they are neutral,” says Aaron Baer, President of Citizens For Community Values (CCV).
Already proposed in the Senate, the “Ohio Fairness Act” is operating under the guise that it will prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, (SOGI law) and would add mediation as an informal method that the Ohio Civil Rights Commission may use.
“Stopping the Fairness Act is CCV’s top priority – it is the single greatest threat to religious freedom, parental rights, and the safety and privacy of women and children. This bill will even require public schools to teach LGBT curriculum . There is no tweaking this disastrous bill,” says Baer.
“Stopping the Fairness Act is CCV’s top priority – it is the single greatest threat to religious freedom, parental rights, and the safety and privacy of women and children. This bill will even require public schools to teach LGBT curriculum. There is no tweaking this disastrous bill.”
Aaron Baer, President of Citizens for Community Values
While LGBT activists claim that the Ohio Fairness act would be good for the economy, Aaron Baer says there is no evidence to support their claims.
“Seventy-percent of the top economic-friendly states do not have SOGI laws while a whopping fifty-percent of the bottom states do have SOGI laws in place. SOGI laws have a history of forcing businesses to violate their moral and religious convictions. “
But that is not all. Reverend Tim Throckmorton, Midwest Director of Ministry for the Family Research Council says “Not only does the “Fairness Act create a hostile environment towards religious freedom and parents, the arbitrary re-definitions of gender proposed by the Act would jeopardize women’s security in public accommodations like restrooms, and effectively end women’s sports altogether.
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