West Virginia Senate Moves To Revoke Local LGBTQ Protections

Lawmakers in the West Virginia state Senate have approved legislation that would revoke non-discrimination ordinances in 20 cities across the state that protect members of the LGBTQ community from being evicted or fired based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The state’s Human Rights Act and Fair Housing Act bans discrimination based on race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, familial status, blindness, veteran status, handicap or national origin – but not sexual orientation or gender identity. Attempts to update the statewide law over the past two decades have failed. So, local municipalities passed their own. SB 579 would prohibit municipalities from from establishing additional protected classes (i.e. the gays). The lead sponsor of the bill, state Sen. Brian Helton (R) argued, “A patchwork of varying local ordinances creates uncertainty for individuals and businesses.” But while he admits centralizing anti-discrimination laws would be more “efficient,” he’s not down with including queer people in those protections. More from the Wheeling News-Register:

SB 579 had bipartisan opposition on the Senate floor Monday, with Republican and Democratic members supporting the ability of their municipalities to pass their own laws.

“I don’t always agree with the actions of the city of Morgantown,” said state Sen. Mike Oliverio, R-Monongalia. “At the same time, I respect their ability to take those actions. It’s because of that…that I’ll have to vote no on this bill, because they have communicated to me very clearly they are opposed to this piece of legislation.”

“There are a number of places in the State of West Virginia that have the legal right to create an ordinance that protects people beyond what we are doing here in this Capitol, whether that’s for sexual orientation, for hairstyle, or whatever it might be, they have decided to do an ordinance that says ‘you are welcome here,’” said state Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion. “What this Legislature is saying…is that no, we know better than you.”

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