Senate Bill 560: Amend Certain Criminal Offenses
This bill would reform state law to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court decision Lawrence v. Texas and protect private, consensual sexual activity between adults.
- Status: This bill was not brought to a vote in the 2005-2006 session and is ineligible for further consideration.
Bill Summary
Equality NC endorses this bill.
This bill was introduced on Tuesday, March 15, by Senator Ellie Kinnaird (D-Orange). The bill would provide law enforcement officers with appropriate tools for addressing legitimate problems like prostitution, public sex, and bestiality, while removing the Crime Against Nature (CAN) law, which is rendered invalid by the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas. The law, which criminalizes oral and anal intercourse (both heterosexual and homosexual), has long been used to justify discrimination against the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community. The existing law applies to private, non-commercial acts between consenting adults--even married couples.
Despite the decision striking down sodomy laws across the country, the CAN law remains on the books in North Carolina and is being selectively enforced by some law enforcement officials. Equality NC believes that law enforcement should have clear, specific laws to address issues of prostituion, public sex, and bestiality, rather than relying on a broad, vague law which is, at least in part, unconstitutional.
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Sponsors
Ellie Kinnaird (D) Primary
Camp Equality
