AUGUSTA  The Maine House of Representatives voted Tuesday to outlaw discrimination against gays and lesbians, and barely rejected a provision that would have given the state's voters the final say. Both the House and Senate have now endorsed the anti-discrimination measure and rejected a push to require a referendum on it in November. Lawmakers debated the need for a law to forbid discrimination against gays and lesbians in housing, the workplace, education and other areas. But their focus eventually turned to whether to hold a statewide vote. Similar gay-rights bills lost at the polls in 1998 and 2000.
"Real leaders do not hide behind ballot questions," Sen. Barry Hobbins, D-Saco, told his Senate colleagues during a debate Tuesday morning.
In the evening, members of the House wrestled with same issue.
"If the people of Maine changed their minds, they are in the best position to tell us so," Rep. Joan Bryant-Deschenes, R-Turner, said in arguing for a referendum.
The argument, peppered with quotations from famous statesmen, focused on what is meant by democracy.
A group of House and Senate Republicans said it means letting the public make the final decision on whether Maine needs an anti-discrimination law.
Rep. Roger Sherman, R-Hodgdon, questioned whether a small victory in a legislative race gives a lawmaker the right to decide what is best for a whole district on this controversial issue.
"If we keep ignoring the will of the people, the voters are going to get smart to that," Rep. Brian Duprey, R-Hampden, told his colleagues.
Several Democratic lawmakers disagreed.
They said it is not up to the majority to decide what rights the minority has in Maine. They referred to the struggle for civil rights, and asked whether African-Americans would have the rights they have today if the decision had been left up to voters.
The House vote was extremely close. The referendum requirement was defeated 76-74. The margin in the Senate earlier in the day was wider, with the proposal for a statewide vote losing 22-13.
After a debate that included religion, marriage and personal stories, the House voted 88-62 to approve the anti-discrimination bill. The Senate had approved the bill in a 25-10 vote Monday.
The House included an amendment to the bill that says a vote on the legislation does not reflect a lawmaker's opinion on same-sex marriage.
Those arguing against the bill questioned whether it was a first step toward same-sex marriage, and asked whether the state needs to add sexual orientation to the Maine Human Rights Act.
Lawmakers who favored the bill mixed religious reasons like the rule of "love thy neighbor" with real-life stories of gays and lesbians who faced discrimination.
"If you put a face on the bill, it is suddenly much harder to vote against," said Rep. Charles Harlow, D-Portland.
The bill needs final approval in the Senate and House, and the signature of Gov. John Baldacci, who proposed it and continues to support it. But the legislation - which has been proposed repeatedly over three decades - could face one more challenge before it becomes law.
The Christian Civic League of Maine met Tuesday to discuss whether it will try to collect the 50,000-plus signatures needed to force a statewide vote for repeal in November.
The league's executive director, Michael Heath, has said he is willing to lead a campaign against the measure. But the league will not announce what it has decided to do until Thursday.
"I think there is angst in the Legislature and rightfully so. They are thumbing their nose at the people of Maine," Heath said.
Betsy Smith of the gay-rights group Equality Maine was happy to see lawmakers step forward and pass the bill without going to the voters. But she predicted a fight at the polls this fall.
Staff Writer Mark Peters can be contacted at 623-1031 or at:
mpeters@pressherald.com
The new law takes effect June 30 in the state of Maine (highlighted).
With the stroke of a pen, Gov. John Baldacci of Maine signed into law a gay rights bill that extended legal protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The new law does not legalize same-sex marriage.

Known officially as "LD 1196," the bill's wording adds the term ''sexual orientation'' to the list of protected classes in the Maine Human Rights Act banning discrimination in employment, housing, education, credit, and public accommodations. The bill was passed by the Maine House of Representatives by a vote of 91-58 Wednesday. The State Senate approved the bill the same day by a vote of 25-10.

Already protected classes under the state's human rights act are gender, age, religion, race, and physical and mental disability. Additional language was added to LD 1196 before it passed clarifying that it would not extend marriage rights to same-sex couples and exempts privately-funded religious groups from having to comply with its provisions. The new law takes effect June 30.

Government official said the new law is needed to send a message. The office of the Maine Attorney General says that the number of hate crimes against gays and lesbians increased by 12 percent in 2003. Baldacci said those figures underscore why the new law is needed.

"This act not only offers essential civil rights, but serves as a welcome," Baldacci said in a press conference after signing the new law. "Our doors are open to all people. This is a proud day for Maine."

But at least one group is organizing to stop the new gay rights law in its tracks. According to reports, the Christian Civic League of Maine has filed initial paperwork to put a voter initiative on the November 2005 general election ballot to overturn the new law.

The group must get at least 50,519 valid signatures from registered voters of the state by a June 28 deadline. Michael Heath, executive director of the group, told the Associated Press that the League has a goal of 70 thousand valid signatures and hopes to raise $2 million to fund a campaign, called a "people's Veto," to repeal the new law.