May 1, 2015
On a roll call vote of 25-40, Minnesota Senate Democrats defeated an amendment to the Senate Education Finance and Policy bill on Thursday, April 30, that would have protected children. The amendment would have required separate biological male and biological female student locker rooms, bathrooms and dressing areas, and also would have allowed for special accommodations.
We wish to thank Senator Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove, 651-296-2159) who carried the amendment in the Senate, and Representative Tim Miller (R-Prinsburg, 651-296-4228) who carried the amendment in the House.
We thank Senate Minority Leader David Hann (R-Eden Prairie, 651-296-1749) for being willing to conduct a roll call vote. We clearly know which Senators understand the need to protect children.
Every Senate Democrat, with the exception of Senator Lyle Koenen (DFL-Clara City, 651-296-5094), voted to betray our children. Three Republicans joined the Democrats in voting no: Senators Carla Nelson (R-Rochester, 651-296-4848), Julianne Ortman (R-Chanhassen, 651-296-4837), and former Minority Leader David Senjem (R-Rochester, 651-296-3903).
In fact, Senator Ortman embarrassed herself with a rallying cry to the other Republicans to vote NO! “This amendment makes me incredibly sad,” she said. She called it “unfortunate” and “unnecessary,” saying, “I encourage members to be brave and vote ‘no’.” Senator Ortman is willing to leave every one of our children openly exposed by taking a vote that requires no bravery whatsoever.
As one father of two girls put it: “Having violated my biological daughters’ rights to gender privacy in the bathroom and school locker rooms, you have gone too far!”
The Conference Committee members have been appointed by the House and the Senate to negotiate a final education bill. The House version has the amendment that would protect children. The Senate version does not.
These are the conferees in the House:
Loon; Erickson; Kresha; Dettmer; Peterson
These are the conferees in the Senate:
Wiger; Johnson; Stumpf; Dahle; Pratt
Six of these ten legislators are Republicans.
Three things that will make a difference:
- Contact the Conference Committee Members (listed below) and tell them: Stand your Ground!
Keep the Student Physical Privacy amendment in the Omnibus Education Bill! - Be sure to ask your own Representative, and also those you know, preferably by email, how they voted on the physical privacy amendment passed by a voice vote in the House last Saturday. Did you vote yes or did you vote no?
Or will you refuse to say?
We will record the vote! We will count refusals as no votes. It is time for a little transparency. We are counting the 29 authors of the full bill, HF 1546, as “yes” votes. The rest of them? Please ask. Then let us know at contact@cplaction.com. - Share this email.
For contact information for every Minnesota House member, click here.
To find your own Minnesota House member, click here.
These are the House conferee contacts:
Loon: rep.jenifer.loon@house.mn
Erickson: rep.sondra.erickson@house.mn
Kresha: rep.ron.kresha@house.mn
Dettmer: rep.bob.dettmer@house.mn
Peterson: rep.roz.peterson@house.mn
These are the Senate conferee contacts:
Pratt: sen.eric.pratt@senate.mn
Wiger: Use Mail Form *
Johnson: Use Mail Form *
Stumpf: Use Mail Form *
Dahle: Use Mail Form *
* Voted NO on the amendment to protect kids on the Senate floor.