Oklahoma Republicans Break Record For Proposing The Most Anti-LGBT Bills

Just how far are Oklahoma lawmakers trying to go with their new bills attacking the LGBT community? 

Hate seems to have consumed Republican lawmakers of the State of Oklahoma.

In what appears to be a direct backlash of the U.S. Supreme Court granting equal marriage rights to same-sex couples, Oklahoma legislators are preparing an outrageous number of anti-LGBT bills – 26, at least. According to ThinkProgress, that’s record-breaking.

Republican State Representative Sally Kern (photo) has happily attached her name to many of the proposed anti-LGBT bills. Kern is best known for claiming that homosexuality is a bigger threat than terrorism. She also expanded on her anti-gay beliefs by saying, “If you got cancer or something in your little toe, do you say you’re just going to forget about it because the rest of you is fine? It spreads, and this stuff is deadly and it’s spreading and it will destroy our young people and it will destroy our nation.” 

One of the more dangerous bills that Kern just submitted is HB 3044 because it goes after LGBT youth. HB 3044 would prohibit counselors, therapists, social workers, administrators, teachers, etc. from providing guidance or information about human sexuality without notifying the minor’s parents at least 24 hours in advance. This means that LGBTQ students who are being bullied – and even non-LGBTQ students who are being called “fag,” for instance – cannot seek help from school officials without getting “outed” to their parents. This can be dangerous if the student’s parents are also homophobic.

RELATED: ‘They Don’t Have A Right To Be Served In Every Store’ Says GOP Lawmaker About Gay People

Kern is also sponsoring HB 1597 which states, “No business entity shall be required to provide any services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges related to any lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person, group or association.” It also says that any business denying service “shall be immune from civil liability for any damages caused by said refusal.”

That should cost Oklahoma taxpayers a pretty penny in court should it be signed into law.

Oklahoma State Senator, Joshua Brecheen, is also championing anti-LGBT legislation in the Senate. Brecheen sponsored SB1323, a bill that would strip schools of state funding if they accommodate transgender students. This bill specifically refers to locker room and restroom use by transgender students.

SB 973, also sponsored by Brecheen, would literally defund same-sex marriage. The bill states, “No taxpayer funds or governmental salaries shall be paid for any activity that includes the licensing or support of same-sex marriage. No employee of this state or any local governmental entity shall officially recognize, grant, or enforce a same-sex marriage license and continue to receive a salary, pension, or other employee benefit at the expense of taxpayers of this state. No taxes or public funds of this state shall be spent enforcing any court order requiring the issuance or recognition of a same-sex marriage license.”

Both Kern and Brecheen are on a crusade to attack LGBT equality. Freedom Oklahoma, an LGBT equality organization in the state is tracking at least 26 different bills targeting the LGBT community. There are also numerous other “religious freedom” bills and other bills designed to restrict equal marriage rights, trans rights, and more. For a detailed list of the bills, check out ThinkProgress. And for those of you who would like a refresher on Kern’s terrorism and cancer speech, watch the video below.

 

EARLIER:

Oklahoma Bill Replaces AP US History Courses With Sermons, Ten Commandments, Reagan Speeches

‘I Don’t Hate Anybody’: Rep. Sally Kern Defends Her Three Latest Anti-Gay Bills (Video)

Rep. Sally Kern: “Same Sex Marriage Is Debauchery”

 

Image by David Glover via Flickr and a CC license