Equality NC secures introduction of bill to address unconstitutional sodomy law
Equality NC thanks Senator Ellie Kinnaird (D-Orange) for introducing Senate Bill 560, Amend Certain Criminal Offenses. 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 criminalizes certain sexual acts (both heterosexual and homosexual) and applies to private, non-commercial acts between consenting adults--even married couples.
"For too long, the so-called Crime Against Nature law has been used to justify discrimination against the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community," said Ian Palmquist, Executive Director-Programs. "It's high time the legislature got rid of this unconstitutional law and gave law enforcement the tools they need to address real problems."
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.
Equality NC convened a panel of legal experts to develop the bill's language and collaborated with Senator Kinnaird to secure introduction.
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