Not surprised anymore!
The state’s original 1993 Human Rights Act included sexual orientation as a protected class, with a caveat that stated, “‘Sexual orientation’ does not include a physical or sexual attachment to children by an adult.”
However, Gov. Walz signed an amendment that removed this clause, adding adults who have a physical or sexual attachment to children to the protected class of sexual minorities in the state.
During a Senate debate at the time, Sen. Nathan Wesenberg (R-Little Falls), urged lawmakers across the aisle to vote against the controversial bill “lest the people of our state come to believe that the majority of this body supports protecting pedophilia.”
However, Wesenberg’s plea fell on deaf ears, and the Senate passed the bill, and Walz ultimately signed the “Take Pride Act” into law.
GOP lawmakers leveled a heavy accusation at the DFL majority during public safety debates in recent days, accusing them of protecting pedophiles — adults who are sexually attracted to children.
A disproportionate amount of debate in the House and Senate over the 500-plus page, $3.5 billion public safety bill focused on the removal of one sentence from the state’s Human Rights Act (HRA): “Sexual orientation does not include a physical or sexual attachment to children by an adult.”
Rep. Harry Niska, R-Ramsey, said some may now “interpret the HRA to deem pedophilia as a protected class in Minnesota, which prevents them from being denied employment, housing, education and more.”
Earlier this session, Niska, a lawyer, added language to the bill that read: “The physical or sexual attachment to children by an adult is not a protected class under this chapter….”
But that sentence was removed from the bill during House-Senate conference committee negotiations and wasn’t in the final version of the bill sent to Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday.
