Tag: LGBT protections

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Houston: Mayor Annise Parker introduces Equal Rights Ordinance

Today Houston Mayor Annise Parker introduced the Equal Rights Ordinance, which if passed, will protect all Houstonians from discrimination in the workplace, housing, and public accommodations.

The proposed ordinance covers both public and private workers from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse released the following statement thanking Mayor Parker for her leadership on this legislation:

“It is far past time to protect the citizens of Houston from all forms of discrimination, including discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. As the nation’s fourth largest city, Houston is an epicenter for business and culture. Cities thrive when all citizens feel welcome and part of the cultural fabric. Today, Mayor Parker told every Houstonian that they are a valued part of the city’s future.”

(via Human Rights Campaign)

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Louisiana lawmakers kill LGBT housing non-discrimination law

By a vote of 13-5, lawmakers in the Louisiana House Commerce Committee torpedoed a bill that would have prohibited housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

From Nola.com:

Much of the debate around Brossett’s bill hinged on a property owners’ rights to deny housing to anyone they believe would jeopardize the “safety” and “family” oriented-nature of their community.

Maurice Dugas, a property owner from Pineville, said he thought the bill “could create some major problems” by allowing LGBT Louisianians to sue for actual and punitive damages if they were denied access to housing. Without directly referencing the gay community, he questioned his ability to provide a safe living environment if he was not able to block certain people from his properties.

Kathleen Benfield, from the conservative Christian organization the American Family Association of New Orleans, also testified against the bill on behalf of the Louisiana Family Forum’s Gene Mills, who she said could not make the hearing.

She said the issue presented by the bill was “to protect certain sexual practices outside of marriage” and said this isn’t a civil rights issue since sexual identity and gender expression are not “immutable” like race and “can change over time.” She also said Brossett didn’t present proof that homosexuals are being discriminated against in Louisiana.

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The current state of workplace protections for LGBT employees state by state

Lambda Legal has this handy dandy map to show what protections exist for LGBT employees in each state of the US as of today.  I’m proud to say my home state of Nevada has protections in the public and private sector for not only sexual orientation, but gender identity and/or gender expression as well.

The point of passing ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) in Congress is to protect employees in all fifty states.

From Lambda Legal:

All government employees are protected by the U.S. Constitution against irrational discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

In addition, some measure of protection already exists under Title VII based on gender, which has been held to include gender identity and expression.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and several courts have interpreted Title VII to protect transgender employees, and the EEOC has interpreted Title VII to cover sexual orientation discrimination.

The Supreme Court has held that the EEOC’s interpretation of Title VII are entitled to “great deference.”

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Maryland House of Delegates passes transgender rights bill

Today the Maryland House of Delegates passed SB 212: Fairness for All Marylanders Act with a vote of 82-57. The bill, previously passed by the Senate in an overwhelming 32-15 vote, will extend employment, housing, and public accommodations protections to transgender people in Maryland.

The Human Rights Campaign’s Chad Griffin issued this statement:

“Today, the Maryland legislature brought this country one step closer to the promise of its founding documents by recognizing that everyone should be treated equally, including transgender Marylanders. Being free from discrimination on the job is one of the things that makes our economy thrive and our nation succeed. It’s long past time for these essential workplace protections to extend from coast to coast and everywhere in between.”

Gov. Martin O’Malley has stated he intends to sign the bill into law.

(source)

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Maryland state Senate approves ban on transgender discrimination

By a vote of 32-15, the Maryland state Senate has approved a bill that would put in ban discrimination of transgender people in the state.

From the Washington Blade:

“I just hope people realize this is a fairness issue,” said state Sen. Allan Kittleman (R-Howard County).

“It is not our job to discriminate,” added state Sen. Delores Kelly (D-Balitmore County) before the vote. “The bill is carefully crafted. The definitions are clear”

State Sen. Rich Madaleno (D-Montgomery County), who introduced SB 212, applauded its passage.

“Today marks a historic milestone in the continued fight to advance equal rights for all Marylanders,” he said in a statement. “The Senate’s passage of the Fairness for All Marylanders Act sends a reaffirming message throughout our state that regardless of whom you are, prejudice and discrimination will no longer be tolerated or exempted from law. With these new anti-discrimination protections for transgender persons one step closer to full passage.”

The bill now moves to the Maryland House of Delegates which approved similar legislation in 2011.

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City of Tempe, Arizona, passes LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance on vote of 7-0

Within hours of Governor Brewer’s veto of the anti-gay “License to Discriminate” bill, the city of Tempe, Arizona has passed an LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance, the Arizona Republic reports:

The council’s 7-0 vote was “another action that shows we don’t discriminate in our community,” Mitchell said Thursday. “We’re moving in the right direction in terms of equality.”

The city ordinance bans discrimination in housing, employment and accommodations at restaurants and hotels, but includes exceptions for religious organizations and social clubs.

Businesses or individuals that discriminate in Tempe on the basis of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, gender, religion, national origin, familial status, age, disability and U.S. military veteran status face a civil sanction with a fine up to $2,500.

In addition to Tempe, three other Arizona cities – Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff – have passed ordinances that ban LGBT discrimination. However, outside of those four cities it is still legal to fire someone for being gay or deny them public accommodations.

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Virginia: Newly sworn in Gov. McAuliffe signs executive order protecting LGBT state employees from discrimination

Shortly after taking office in 2010, GOP former Gov. Bob McDonnell removed protections for LGBT state employees by executive order, claiming that there was no evidence that gay people are discriminated against.

In HIS first official act, newly inaugurated Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed an executive order protecting LGBT state employees from discrimination.During his campaign, McAuliffe repeatedly promised to do so.

McAuliffe: “My administration is committed to keeping Virginia open and welcoming to all who call our Commonwealth home. Executive Order Number 1 sets the tone for an administration that will not accept discrimination in any form, and one that will work tirelessly to ensure all Virginians have equal opportunity in the workplace, no matter their backgrounds, race, religion, or whom they love.”

The Washington Blade notes that today’s order includes gender identity and expression for the first time.

(via JMG)

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San Antonio passes LGBT Non-discrimination ordinance 8-3

San Antonio, Texas has passed an LGBT non-discrimination ordinance in a vote of 8-3.

The ordinance covers city employment, and citywide contracting, housing and public accommodations.

The measure’s passage follows months of public debate, public prayer against it, and headlines over City Councilwoman Elisa Chan’s remarks on the bill, in which she called LGBT people “disgusting.”

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Delaware governor signs transgender rights bill into law

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell on Wednesday signed a bill that will add gender identity and expression to his state’s anti-discrimination and hate crimes laws.

The state Senate by an 11-9 vote margin earlier in the day approved an amended version of Senate Bill 97 that passed in the Delaware House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Sixteen states and D.C. currently have trans-inclusive anti-discrimination laws.  Thirteen of those states and the nation’s capital have also added gender identity and expression to their hate crimes statutes.

Read more at Washington Blade

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Sen. Marco Rubio threatens immigration reform if it includes something for “gay couples”

Sen. Marco Rubio promised again today that he will torpedo the current immigration reform legislation that he helped craft if the amendment allowing gay US citizens to sponsor their foreign partners is not removed.

From Yahoo News:

“If this bill has something in it that gives gay couples immigration rights and so forth, it kills the bill. I’m done,” Rubio said Thursday during an interview on the Andrea Tantaros Show. “I’m off it, and I’ve said that repeatedly. I don’t think that’s going to happen and it shouldn’t happen. This is already a difficult enough issue as it is.”

The amendment, introduced by Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy, would grant green cards to foreign partners of gay unauthorized immigrants who seek legal status under new rules in the bill.

Leahy originally introduced the measure during the Senate Judiciary Committee markup of the bill, but he withdrew it under pressure from Republican lawmakers who said it would reduce the chance of the bill passing.

Sen. Leahy re-introduced his amendment on Tuesday and won applause from several LGBT rights groups.

That being said, I don’t see the amendment surviving the debate and markup process in the Senate. And even if it somehow did survive, the GOP controlled House would never go for it.

So while it’s a nice gesture from Sen. Leahy, I think it’s more symbolic than anything at the end of the day. This won’t be our turn, in my opinion.

Repeal DOMA and the problem goes away.