Robb admits mistake in co-sponsoring bill
The proposed bill could put the UM system"s state funding in jeopardy.
Published Feb. 11, 2005
After co-sponsoring a bill that could endanger the UM system's state funding, Rep. Ed Robb, R-Columbia, spoke out against the legislation on Thursday.
House Bill 328, sponsored by Rep. Brian Baker, R-Belton, would prohibit public institutions in Missouri from having an anti-discrimination policy that exceeds federal protections.
Federal anti-discrimination policies do not include a clause pertaining to sexual orientation. This bill would implicate both the UM system and Columbia public schools, because both of their policies contain such a clause.
Although listed as a co'sponsor to the bill, Robb has dialed back his support.
"(Baker) sort of mislead me when he said what the bill was about," Robb said. "At the time, I thought it was a reasonable thing to do."
Baker was unavailable for comment.
The decision to co-sponsor the bill was a freshman legislator mistake, Robb said.
Robb said he has no problem with the UM system, or any other state institution, including sexual orientation in their anti-discrimination policy.
"If they want to do whatever they want to, that's up to them," Robb said.
Robb said he is pessimistic about the bill's chances of passing.
"The bill's not going anywhere," Robb said. "It will never get out of committee."
Rep. Kevin Wilson, R-Neosho, introduced a similar bill last April. Baker co-sponsored the legislation, along with 15 other Republican representatives. Former Rep. Vicky Riback Wilson, D-Columbia, opposed the measure.
That bill never made it out of committee.
The UM system added sexual orientation to its anti-discrimination policy in October 2003 after rejecting the idea in 1999.
In 1999, the Columbia Board of Education voted 4-3 to include sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy.
J.C. Headley, president of the Columbia Board of Education, said the board would have to wait on the implications of the proposed law before deciding what to do with its anti-discrimination policy.
"If they take all of the state aid away, that would be a serious bite," Headley said. "I hope the legislation does not pass."
Headley said while the vote was contentious at the time, the board has since moved on to other issues.
UM system spokesman Joe Moore said the university does not have a position on the legislation at this time.