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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Ind. Gov't. - "Fallout over gay youth group's license plate continues: Gay youth support group vows legal fight against state action"

The Indianapolis Star this morning has a much-updated version of its story posted online last evening, both by Mary Beth Schneider. My morning paper also includes a copy of the letter 20 senators sent to the BMV. Unfortunately, the Star has not posted that letter online...

So the ILB has taken the list of the 50 state senators and highlighted those who signed the letter to BMV:

Ronnie J. Alting , Republican, District 022
Jim Arnold , Democrat, District 008

Jim Banks , Republican, District 017
Vaneta Becker , Republican, District 050
Phil Boots , Republican, District 023
Richard D. Bray , Republican, District 037
Jean D. Breaux , Democrat, District 034
John Broden , Democrat, District 010
Jim Buck , Republican, District 021

Ed Charbonneau , Republican, District 005

Mike Delph , Republican, District 029

Doug Eckerty , Republican, District 026

Beverly J. Gard , Republican, District 028
Susan C. Glick , Republican, District 013
Ron Grooms , Republican, District 046

Randy Head , Republican, District 018
Brandt Hershman , Republican, District 007
Travis. Holdman , Republican, District 019
Lindel O. Hume , Democrat, District 048

Luke Kenley , Republican, District 020
Dennis Kruse , Republican, District 014

Connie Lawson, Republican, Danville -- Now Secretary of State
Timothy Lanane , Democrat, District 025
Sue Landske , Republican, District 006
Jean Leising , Republican, District 042
David C. Long , Republican, District 016

James W. Merritt Jr., Republican, District 031
Patricia L. Miller , Republican, District 032
Ryan Mishler , Republican, District 009
Frank Mrvan Jr., Democrat, District 001

Johnny Nugent , Republican, District 043

Allen E. Paul , Republican, District 027

Lonnie Randolph , Democrat, District 002
Earline S. Rogers , Democrat, District 003

Scott Schneider , Republican, District 030
Vi Simpson , Democrat, District 040
Tim Skinner , Democrat, District 038
Jim Smith , Republican, District 045
Brent Steele , Republican, District 044

Karen Tallian , Democrat, District 004
Greg Taylor , Democrat, District 033
Jim Tomes , Republican, District 049

Greg Walker , Republican, District 041
Brent Waltz , Republican, District 036
John W. Waterman , Republican, District 039
Thomas J. Wyss , Republican, District 015

Carlin Yoder , Republican, District 012
Michael Young , Republican, District 035
Richard D. Young Jr., Democrat, District 047

Joseph C. Zakas , Republican, District 011

More from today's story:
Conservative activists, including Micah Clark of the American Family Association of Indiana and Eric Miller of Advance America, had mounted a lobbying effort aimed at the plate.

In one email to supporters, Clark urged people to contact their lawmakers, saying: "State agencies should not be helping to promote the homosexual agenda to children."

When the legislation foundered as the session came to a close, Senate President Pro Tempore David Long, R-Fort Wayne, told reporters March 8 that an alternative "solution" had been found: voiding the Indiana Youth Group's contract.

Long said the group had offered low-digit plates in exchange for donations, violating its contract. * * *

Past practice by the BMV should work in the youth group's favor, Mary Elise Haug, the board's president, said in a prepared statement.

She was referring to a March 9 statement by the BMV spokesman who said using low-number plates as thank-you gifts was a common occurrence.

"We are hopeful that . . . the additional information about the common practice and previous interpretation allowing the use of low-numbered plates as thank-you gifts will cause the BMV to reconsider the suspension," Haug said.

The same day that senators trumpeted their alternative solution to the controversy, Lubsen confirmed to The Star that someone from the Senate had contacted the BMV about the IYG contract and that no decision had been made.

He said the group's contract did bar the auctioning of the plates but also said the BMV has in the past allowed groups to give out low-numbered plates as thank-you gifts to donors.

On March 9, 20 senators, including Lawson, sent the letter to the BMV urging that the group lose its plates.

On March 15, Lubsen was no longer working with the BMV. Officials at BMV said Lubsen resigned and it was a personnel matter they would not discuss. Lubsen declined comment.

The next day, March 16, the BMV rescinded the youth group's plates, along with those of two other groups that had also been offering low-digit plates to donors: the 4-H Foundation and the Greenways Foundation.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on March 21, 2012 09:10 AM
Posted to Indiana Government