Montana Votes to Register Homosexuals
Senate Decides Homosexuals Must Report Whereabouts to Authorities
Associated Press, March 22, 1995
By Bob Anez
HELENA – Homosexuals, like murderers and rapists, are criminals in
Montana and should be required to let authorities know where they live for the rest of
their lives, the Senate decided Tuesday.
Senators agreed to include homosexuality as one of the crimes for which a convicted
person must register with local law enforcement under a lifetime mandate.
An attempt to remove that provision from House Bill 214 failed on an 18-32 vote. The
measure was endorsed on a voice vote and faces a final Senate vote Wednesday.
Sen. Terry Klampe, D-Florence, led the effort to exclude homosexuals from the
registration requirement.
He said homosexuality may be considered deviant sexual conduct under state law, but it
is not a violent crime and has no victim like other offenses covered by the bill: murder,
rape, aggravated assault, incest, sexual assault, and indecent exposure.
"We’re not talking about whether you condone homosexuality," he said.
Sen. Fred Van Valkenburg, D-Missoula, said the rape law already covers violent acts
involving homosexuals and heterosexuals. What’s more, he said, no one has ever been
prosecuted for homosexual acts so no homosexuals will have to register and they should not
be covered by the bill.
"This is much ado about nothing," the deputy Missoula County attorney told
those wanting the measure to include homosexuals. "Why are you making a big deal out
of it? It is stirring up a pot that doesn’t need to be stirred." But those
wanting the provision retained were adamant.
Sen. Al Bishop, R-Billings, said he considers homosexual acts as worse than some other
crimes. "This type of action is even worse than a violent sexual act," he said.
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