Name: Judge grants LGBT campaign more time to collect petition signatures
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Judge grants LGBT campaign more time to collect petition signatures

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The Detroit News A state judge on Wednesday gave a campaign seeking to ban discrimination in Michigan based on sexual orientation and gender identity more time to collect petition signatures and ruled earlier support it gathered won't be lost due to limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.In a 17-page opinion and order, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens granted a preliminary injunction requested by&nbsp;Fair and Equal Michigan, saying the group "established a substantial likelihood of success" about whether a 180-day period to collect signatures is unconstitutional due to unforeseen challenges due to the&nbsp;outbreak.&nbsp;But she rejected the group's other demands for preliminary injunctions.Fair and Equal Michigan in May sued the&nbsp;Michigan Board of State Canvassers, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Elections Director Jonathan Brater in an attempt to ease restrictions for getting its measure before voters.The campaign, which launched in January, had argued&nbsp;enforcement of normal requirements for petition-initiated proposals during Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home restrictions prevented supporters from exercising their constitutional rights.Trevor Thomas, co-chair of Fair and Equal Michigan, said the&nbsp;judge's ruling "validates the voices of supporters" and that their signed canvassed petitions will apply to the next election cycle in 2022.“The Court of Claims recognized that COVID-19 impacted the fundamental constitutional rights of our nearly 200,000 supporters," Thomas said in a statement. "The order today is consistent with what we always set out to do: Apply much needed focus on the Legislature to pass the first-ever LGBTQ rights bill or citizens will do it for you."Benson spokeswoman Tracy Wimmer said the office had "no comment."Steve Liedel, legal counsel for Fair and Equal Michigan, said the group had gathered upwards of 135,000 signatures when the COVID crisis hit the state.&nbsp;The campaign, he said, began circulating petitions at the start of February and was on track to collect well over the required 340,000 signatures.&nbsp;The judge's decision means that the effort won't be affected&nbsp;by the 69 days lost during the crisis and associated restrictions.&nbsp;"It effectively means Fair and Equal Michigan doesn't lose the signature gathering days that they did lose (due to COVID-19)," he said.Previously, the campaign had been required to turn in&nbsp;340,047 valid signatures by May 27 to get its proposal before the Legislature. That deadline already was extended to June 11. But based on the circumstances, the campaign won't meet that time table.&nbsp;Liedel said the group will gather signatures after Thursday's deadline. The judge's order gives back the 69 days lost during the outbreak on top of the 180-day signature collection period. That would make the deadline for the filing Oct. 9.&nbsp;If successful, and if the GOP-controlled Legislature fails to adopt the measure, the campaign would then appear on the November 2022 ballot.&nbsp;Taylor added that while the judge did not discount digital signatures, the campaign will review its canvassing options in the days ahead and lay out a strategy."The Legislature has blocked attempts for 37 years to pass these basic human rights and this solution gives Legislative leaders and advocates additional time to finally judge people on the job they do, not who they are or who they love," he said.&nbsp;Fair and Equal Michigan was&nbsp;joined in the lawsuit by two state lawmakers, Sen. Adam Hollier, D-Detroit, and Rep. Mari Manoogian, D-Birmingham, who want to support the voter-initiated proposal in the Legislature.Stephens ruled Hollier and Manoogian lacked standing and will be dismissed from the complaint, noting "any loss of their right to a legislative vote is speculative and not immediate."The campaign has received support from a coalition of business leaders and civil rights groups, among others. Organizers have noted that the effort&nbsp;raised $640,000 and collected 100,000 petition signatures within its the first month.A request to reduce the number of signatures required to 127,518 and to extend the deadline to July 13 was turned down by the court, Liedel said.&nbsp;cferretti@detroitnews.com&nbsp;

The Detroit News A state judge on Wednesday gave a campaign seeking to ban discrimination in Michigan based on sexual orientation and gender identity more time to collect petition signatures and ruled earlier support it gathered won't be lost due to limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.In a 17-page opinion and order, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens granted a preliminary injunction requested by&nbsp;Fair and Equal Michigan, saying the group "established a substantial likelihood of success" about whether a 180-day period to collect signatures is unconstitutional due to...

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Christine Ferretti

Detroit's best source for news and information. You can reach The Detroit News at online(at)detroitnews(dot)com.

Judge grants LGBT campaign more time to collect petition signatures

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