By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings
Just when you thought that AZ Republicans couldn't get any more bizarre...
Last month, the City of Phoenix passed an ordinance that bans discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
This month, Arizona's Republicans are mounting their counter-offensive.
At the Arizona legislature on Wednesday, the House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to hear public testimony on the possible restoration of AHCCCS (aka "Arizona Medicaid") eligibility levels to 133% of the federal poverty level.
Other than that though, the agenda was kind of quiet (probably a good thing, given how much interest that one topic has garnered).
Apparently, it was too quiet for Rep. John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills), chair of the committee.
He revised the agenda for Wednesday's meeting, slipping a striker proposal on to that agenda.
The relevant part of that striker (the blue text indicates a proposed change or addition to the law) -
B. A person commits disorderly conduct if the person intentionally enters a public restroom, bathroom, shower, bath, dressing room or locker room and a sign indicates that the room is for the exclusive use of persons of one sex and the person is not legally classified on the person's birth certificate as a member of that sex.
C. Subsection B of this section does not apply to a person who enters a public restroom, bathroom, shower, bath, dressing room or locker room and who is of a different sex than that indicated on the sign if the person is any of the following:
1. Entering as part of the person's job responsibilities.
2. Entering to give aid or assistance to another person.
3. A child who needs assistance.
4. Physically disabled.
B. D. Disorderly conduct under subsection A, paragraph 6 is a class 6 felony. Disorderly conduct under subsection A, paragraph 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 or subsection B is a class 1 misdemeanor.
Ummm...yeah.
Guess they didn't learn the lesson from the story of the fall of former US Senator Larry Craig - Republicans and public restrooms are not a combination that usually works out well for Republicans.
I'm actually a little surprised that Kavanagh is pushing this nugget of ugly - while his politics are appalling, he's actually smart enough to know better than to give wiseass bloggers material to work with.
Perhaps the council could head this off by passing an amendment disclaiming jurisdiction over privately owned bathrooms? My opinion is that government bathroom regulation whether by the city, state or federal government NEVER ends well.
http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/20130227phoenix-bathroom-issue-driving-bias-law-debate.html
http://reason.com/reasontv/2013/02/05/three-flushes-for-american-capitalism
Posted by: Thane "Goldie" Eichenauer | March 18, 2013 at 10:50 PM
Cathi Herrod is behind this striker. She couldn't convince the Phx council to oppose anti discrimination so she found a legislator to run with this.
Posted by: JC Higgins | March 19, 2013 at 08:48 AM
Micromanaging toilets. That's real leadership. What? No comment from Kavanagh yet, daring us to find a reason to defy his proposed ideas?
Posted by: Bess1919 | March 20, 2013 at 04:57 AM