Log Cabin touts GOP backers for 2 gay-rights bills

The leaders of the Utah Log Cabin Republicans, a gay and lesbian political group, say they have secured GOP sponsors for a pair of gay-rights bills in 2010.

After numerous meetings with state lawmakers — and the LDS Church's recent support of Salt Lake City's nondiscrimination ordinances — Log Cabin President Melvin Nimer said he believes there is now a willingness among legislators to consider the bills, which would provide employment protections for gays and lesbians and amend the state's adoption rules, allowing family members who are cohabitating with a partner to adopt relatives.

"This next legislative session is going to be much more conducive to conversation and finding solutions," Nimer said.

Log Cabin officials declined to name the Republican sponsors Friday.

But James Humphreys, the group's vice president, said Log Cabin leaders have already met with Gov. Gary Herbert to discuss "what he would need to see in a bill before he would agree to sign it."

"(Gov. Herbert) said adoption is a word that is loaded in the Legislature because of Prop. 8," Humphreys said. "A lot of legislators ran to their various corners, and they're just hiding there, not willing to discuss coming to the middle."

Instead, Log Cabin's proposal focuses on "custody rather than adoption."

Under the proposal, familial relation would take precedence over the state's cohabitation rule, Humphrey said.

"We don't think that fixes everything," he said, "but it does allow enough additional people in the pool and provides enough safeguards that some of these children won't end up in group homes."

Log Cabin leaders also said they have bipartisan support for an employment nondiscrimination bill aimed at preventing "arbitrary firings."

On Tuesday, a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offered public support for a pair of Salt Lake City ordinances that make it illegal for employers and landlords to discriminate based on sexual orientation.

"With that statement, I'm sure this bill is going to be drafted very similarly to what (Salt Lake City) Mayor (Ralph) Becker had," Nimer said.

Humphreys said the group plans to announce its Republican sponsors this week.

Rep. Christine Johnson, D-Salt Lake, also said she planned to carry an employment-nondiscrimination bill for the third time in as many sessions.

Humphreys said Log Cabin's bill "would not compete" with Johnson's legislation.

Johnson, who has not worked with Log Cabin on its bill, said she "feels like doors have opened" for gay-rights legislation on Capitol Hill.