Capital City Alliance

Last night, the Metro Council voted 7-3 against a resolution expressing support for HB 12, a bill to repeal the unconstitutional provisions of Louisiana’s Crime Against Nature law.  The three Council members voting in support of the resolution were Councilmen John Delgado and Ryan Heck, the resolutions sponsors, and Councilwomen C. Denise Marcelle. Speaking in favor of the resolution were representatives from Equality Louisiana, the ACLU of Louisiana, and other interested community members.

Local coverage of the Council meeting

‘Crime against nature’ resolution fails

Family Forum, LGBT Advocates Spar Ahead Of Council Vote

Baton Rouge Metro Council votes against removing unconstitutional ‘crimes against nature’ provisions

Bad for Baton Rouge’s image? Baton Rouge Council resolution to support removal of unconstitutional “crimes against nature” provisions fails

Metro Council members say it wasn’t their place to support striking ‘crimes against nature’ laws

This Wednesday, East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Councilmen John Delgado and Ryan Heck  are set to introduce a resolution before the Metro Council supporting a bill abolishing Louisiana’s unconstitutional Crime Against Nature law.  The resolution also calls upon Baton Rouge-area legislators to vote in favor of House Bill 12, sponsored by Baton Rouge’s own Rep. Pat Smith and Equality Louisiana. Although declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court over a decade ago, the Crime Against Nature law was still being illegally enforced locally as recently as last summer.

Capital City Alliance commends Councilmen Delgado and Heck for their leadership and recognition of the dignity and liberty of all Louisianans. The Crime Against Nature law is not strictly an LGBT issue; it applies across the board to all adults—men and women, gay and straight, married and unmarried. While disproportionately enforced against certain groups, the law infringes on the constitutionally-protected liberty of all of us. And although a Council resolution cannot directly effect the law’s repeal, passage of the proposed resolution would send a strong message to the Legislature that citizens of the state’s second-largest city value dignity and privacy.

For those interested in showing support for the resolution, the Metro Council meeting will be this Wednesday, February 12, at 4:00 PM (Meeting Agenda).  Anyone interested in speaking should complete and file a Request to Speak Form with the Information Coordinator near the podium before the meeting starts.

If you cannot make it to the meeting but would still like to express your support, below is contact information for each Council member (find your district). Alternatively, you can reach all twelve members by emailing metrocouncil@brgov.com.

Hate crimes statistics are now being collected in Baton Rouge!

In July 2013, a meeting between Capital City Alliance leadership and Sheriff Sid Gautreaux generated a number a productive solutions in the wake of reports that the Sheriff’s department was making arrests that targeted the LGBT community using unconstitutional “crimes against nature” laws.  The Sheriff assured Capital City Alliance (CCA) that he would work with legislators to get that portion of the law removed from the Louisiana law, in addition to a number of other resolutions to improve the relationship between his department and the Baton Rouge LGBT community.

As of January 1, 2014, the Sheriff’s department will collect information on hate crimes occurring in Baton Rouge, including those that are motivated by biases regarding sexual orientation.  This is the first time that these figures will be reported to the Justice Department for East Baton Rouge Parish.

In addition to this new development, the Sheriff has also notified the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association (LSA) that his department would no longer be enforcing the crimes against nature statute.  Additionally, the Sheriff has appointed Casey Rayborn Hicks as the LGBT liaison in the Sheriff’s office.  Ms. Hicks will act as a point person for community concerns.

Capital City Alliance and Equality Louisiana are continuing to work with the Sheriff to have gender identity added to the department’s EO statement and to incorporate training curriculum for deputies informed by research and best practices in reference to fairness and equality for the LGBT community.

The steps the Sheriff has taken to ensure that the LGBT community is sufficiently protected and not unjustly targeted or arrested is heartening.  We are continuing to work with the Sheriff and look forward to his support in all attempts to repeal this law during the 2014 legislative session.

Beginning today, coverage under the Affordable Care Act will begin for many Americans. Here are some important things to remember about how the ACA directly impacts the LGBT community:

1. Plans purchased through the Marketplace can’t discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
2. You can’t be charged a higher premium just because you identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
3. Any same-sex married couples, regardless of where they live, can apply for and receive health insurance marketplace subsidies as a family.
4. No more lifetime limits on coverage or arbitrary withdrawal of insurance coverage protections, which is especially important for transgender people and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Additionally, as noted by the National LGBT Health Education Center, the Department of Health and Human Services will expand collection of sexual orientation and gender identity data on national health surveys to better understand LGBT health needs, educate clinicians about them, and reduce treatment disparities.

Still on the fence or procrastinating about enrolling? Maybe this will help:

Recently DOMA was found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court making way for the Internal Revenue Service to enact regulations to federal tax laws for legally married couples. Depending on the cumulative range of taxable income of the taxpayer and spouse, it may be beneficial to amend your taxes as married filing joint for a refund. You have the option to amend tax returns up to 3 years prior.

Regardless of prior filing status, legally married couples must file their return as either married filing jointly or married filing separately starting with their 2013 tax return. For the state of Louisiana, at this time, and any other state that does not recognize the union, there will be separate calculations for state versus federal. Please be sure the tax professional you use has the expertise to process these returns.

To determine if you should amend your 2009 (if extensions filed and must be amended by Oct 15, 2013), 2010, 2011 or 2012 federal tax return, add line 43 together on each tax year of you and your spouse’s single tax return. If this total taxable income is $40,000 or more you should find benefit in amending your returns. This benefit will cover the fees to amend the returns plus around a $500 additional benefit each year. Please note as CPA’s we charge a flat rate fee, not a percentage of refund.

The above estimate comes from basic calculations and can vary due to individual circumstances. Under certain circumstances there is the possibility that amending your return will not be beneficial even if your taxable income is $40,000 or more and a possibility that having under $40,000 will yield you more than the above benefit. We will be happy to look at each return on a case by case basis to determine the benefit.

Please note, you will not be charged a fee, if upon meeting with us, it is determined that it would not be beneficial to amend your tax returns. If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment call our office at (225) 243‐4980.

Shelby Carnahan Andrews, CPA
www.shelbycpa.com
110 LaSalle Street
P. O. Box 1361
Denham Springs, LA 70727
Phone: (225)243-4980
Fax: (225)243-6327

Throughout 2013, Capital City Alliance has worked hard to engage, promote, and advocate for the LGBT community in greater Baton Rouge. We have endeavored to provide a face and strong voice for the community, and have sparked initiatives that will hopefully make a difference in the lives of LGBT people in Baton Rouge and across the state.

Of course, none of our efforts and success this year would have been possible without your time, dedication, and financial support. We hope you will consider volunteering or donating to Capital City Alliance in the new year after considering all of the things your support has made possible in 2013:

• Within minutes of the news breaking, CCA was on the phone with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office negotiating an end to unconstitutional sting operations targeting our community. Our work with the Sheriff has led to the creation of an LGBT liaison within the Office, reporting of hate crime statistics, and other positive changes.

• CCA spearheaded a pioneering statewide poll with our partners showing overwhelming support for the fair treatment of LGBT people in employment and housing, and school bullying prevention.

• Monthly 2nd Sunday Brunches have continued to help build community and introduce new members to the organization.

• Over 300 participants, and 30 benefactors and co-sponsors, took part in our Second Annual Equality March following Pride Fest this past June.

• CCA put on activities that directly enriched the community including a self-defense workshop with PKSA Karate and an LGBTQ financial planning workshop with Morgan Stanley.

• In December, we collected over 100 gifts for children affected by HIV/AIDS in the Baton Rouge area for our OUT in the Community Service Project.

• CCA hosted its Fourth Annual Kings, Queens, and Everything in Between Drag Show at Splash in August and a wildly successful Date Auction at Splash in February.

This past year has certainly been a great success for Capital City Alliance and the greater Baton Rouge LGBT community! It could not have been possible without your support. Every donation goes directly toward improving and engaging our community, making Baton Rouge a more inclusive and rich place for LGBT people to live. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation of $15, $25, or $50 dollars—whatever you can afford—so that Capital City Alliance can continue making a difference in the new year to come.

Thank you for a wonderful year and your continued support!

A statewide poll commissioned by Capital City Alliance and its co-sponsors Equality Louisiana and Louisiana Progress was recently conducted by the LSU Public Policy Research Lab, revealing overwhelming support for fair treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Louisiana.

Capital City Alliance is encouraged by the results both here in Baton Rouge and across the state. The poll will play a pivotal roll in reshaping the discussion of LGBT rights in Louisiana that better reflects the actual sentiment of the people of this state. The poll of course would not have been possible with out the generous support of our members and the community. To help us continue to conduct this research and improve the lives of LGBT citizens in Baton Rouge and all over Louisiana, please consider donating today.

“It’s very heartening to see that close to 90% of the state by all measures supports fundamental equality. For too long, we’ve been told that Louisiana is not ready to address these issues, but that is clearly not the case, as these numbers demonstrate. This is a game-changer.” —Carrie Wooten, CCA Board Member

The following three questions relating to LGBT people were polled:

Should schools protect gay and transgender students from bullying and harassment?

Should people be evicted or denied housing because they are gay or transgender?

Should employers other than churches or religious organizations be able to fire employees because they are gay or transgender?

Survey Methodology

The results presented in the PPRL poll here have been weighted by Age, Race, Education and Gender to reflect current adult population demographics of the entire state of Louisiana as reflected in the 2011 Census Estimates.

The combined survey includes 1,280 respondents including 627 respondents selected from landline telephone numbers via random-digit dialing and 653 respondents selected from available cell phone blocks. Interviews were conducted from November 6th to November 26, 2013. The overall survey has a margin of error of +/- 2.74 percentage points.