Montana committee deadlocked on antigay legislation

A Montana house committee was deadlocked Monday on a bill to abolish protections from discrimination for gay and lesbian state employees. The house administration committee voted 99 on the bill. Homosexuality is not the issue, Republican house speaker Dan McGee, sponsor of the bill, said. At issue is the proper role of the legislature. Republican former governor Marc Racicot used his executive authority when he ordered the protections, which went into effect in December, just before he left office. McGee maintains that because the legislature repeatedly voted against such protections, the governors order should be void.