Ohio House passes bill protecting gays from discrimination

[Ian David]

Source: Plain Dealer Bureau

Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Aaron Marshall
Plain Dealer Bureau

Columbus- Ohio House lawmakers moved to shield gay and transgendered Ohioans from being discriminated against in housing and employment issues in a historic vote Tuesday afternoon.

By a vote of 56-39, the anti-discrimination measure passed the House with five Republicans, including Rep. Matthew Dolan of Russell Township, joining all 51 majority Democrats present in the House chamber in approving the measure. It now moves to the Senate, where Senate President Bill Harris, an Ashland Republican, has told reporters the measure is not needed.

Supporters painted it as bringing fairness to the workplace by adding protections for gay and transgendered Ohioans, while opponents said it forced people to endorse a lifestyle that many object to on religious grounds.

Lawmakers may have been split over the issue, but the crowded public gallery above the House floor was united in support of the legislation. Audience members gave lawmakers a standing ovation as House Speaker Armond Budish gaveled the crowd back to order. It was the first time Ohio lawmakers have voted to extend civil rights protections to people on the basis of sexual orientation.

Read more: http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1253089919175500.xml&coll=2

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See also:

Ohio House Passes LGBT Anti-Discrimination Bill 56-39
http://www.towleroad.com/2009/09/ohio-house-passes-lgbt-antidiscrimination-bill-5639.html


Hat-tip to: http://twitter.com/cindyscott54/statuses/4031846138

[Berry Cool]

1. Woo hoo!

Screw Harris!

[Joanne98]

2. YAY Ohio!

[Deep13]

3. Finally!

Harris is a fucking douche-bag. We need to protect the rights of employers and landlords to make and act on irrational judgments concerning other people that are none of their business. Harris' stated reason for opposing it is exactly why it is needed.

[Mari333]

4. knr

[madmom]

5. We are not allowed to discriminate based on religious beliefs, which I find objectionable, so why

must I have to endorse their lifestyle?

[rd_kent]

6. If discrimination of any kind is illegal, why do we need SPECIFIC discrimination laws?

[mitchtv]

11. thing is

that is not the case . It is legal to fire /refuse to rent to Gays most states

[Posteritatis]

12. Except discrimination "of any kind" *isn't* illegal

And in a lot of the cases where it is, it needs to be spelled out in crayon before people stop ignoring or loopholing it.

[rd_kent]

13. So why not just update existing laws to include the new category

instead of creating a whole new laws addressing a specific group?

[Steerpike]

7. Hey! Some more good News!

Kudos to Ohio!

[Soylent Brice]

8. K&R

[closeupready]

9. Terrific!

Hey! Oh! Way to go! Ohio! :)

[whathehell]

10. Yay!!

[Rozlee]

14. We're getting there

By "we" I mean the collective We. I'm from Texas and the general IQ around here is just slightly above nail fungus. But, today, I envy the progressive mindset of Ohio.

[Divine Discontent]

15. It's not a done deal folks

"It now moves to the Senate, where Senate President Bill Harris, an Ashland Republican, has told reporters the measure is not needed."


Hopefully they'll pass it, but it's not over yet. Hope they do, what a classy move if they do.