Protections for gays face tough fight at Utah Legislature

"The church statement (Tuesday) night addressed the employment and housing ordinances in Salt Lake City and that statement speaks for itself," Scott Trotter said. "As to any other legislation, the church would reserve judgment. We are not prepared to speculate on something we haven't seen."

Church public affairs director Michael Otterson told the Associated Press the church had supported "basic civil values," but the church's position found some critics on both sides even as it preserved its religious belief that same-sex marriage poses a threat to traditional marriage.

"There are going to be gay advocates who don't think we've gone nearly far enough, and people very conservative who think we've gone too far," Otterson said. "The vast majority of people are between those polar extremes and we think that's going to resonate with people on the basis of fair-mindedness."

During the last legislative session, a suite of legislative anti-discrimination proposals known as the Common Ground Initiative failed after they were strongly opposed by conservative groups, including the Sutherland Institute, a Salt Lake think tank. The six bills sought to level the playing field for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender Utahns in the areas of hospitalization/medical care, wrongful death benefits, housing/employment and adoption rights. Sutherland argued the bills would undermine the tenet of "traditional marriage" between a man and a woman, and launched a push-back campaign it called the Sacred Ground Initiative.

Sutherland issued a statement Tuesday night expressing disappointment in the council's vote and the LDS Church's stance.

"As a public relations opportunity, the LDS Church's statement before the Salt Lake City Council may assuage the minds and soften the hearts of 'gay rights' in Utah," the Sutherland statement read. "As a policy statement, it is problematic."

"The approved ordinances before the Salt Lake City Council are unsound in principle, clarity and effect."

Rep. Jackie Biskupski, D-Salt Lake, who was among legislators who sponsored Common Ground Initiative bills last year and another of the Legislature's openly gay members, lauded the council's decision, and the church's support.

"This appears to be an olive branch being offered by the LDS Church," Biskupski said. "It's a very positive move and one I am extremely thankful for. This is the kind of messaging our community, and the entire state of Utah, really needs."

Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, said earlier this year that if Salt Lake City took the actions it did Tuesday night, he would sponsor legislation to overturn it. But Wednesday, Wimmer said while he still supports such legislation and believes the Legislature should pass such a prohibition, he won't sponsor it. He is too busy with states' rights laws, he said. He believes others will introduce a bill to prohibit statewide what Salt Lake City did.