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Loading ...Delaware mulls gay anti-discrimination bill
03.11.2009 11:23am EDT
(Dover, Delaware) Legislation was introduced in the Delaware legislature Wednesday that would ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment and housing.
Delaware already bars discrimination based on age, religion, gender, race, marital status and physical handicap. LGBT rights groups have tried for a decade to have the law updated to include sexual orientation.“This legislation is long overdue. This is the fifth time it has been introduced in the past nine years and we have passed it in the House three times,” said Senate Majority Leader Peter Schwartzkopf (D) in a statement.
“This is 2009. If the past several months have taught us anything, it’s that Americans are much more tolerant and accepting of others now than ever before.”
The bill however, does not include transgender protections. It also exempts religious groups – even if they receive state funding. It also states that employers would not bed required to offer health insurance, pension or other benefits to same-sex couples.
A spokesperson for Gov. Jack Markell said the governor had not seen the bill but that he has long supported “eliminating discrimination in all its forms.”
In the past Senate rules have allowed bills to die without coming to a vote in what was called a desk-drawer veto. The rules were changed this year and Schwartzkopf said he is hopeful the measure will be passed.
Under the new rules, bills must be considered in committees within 12 legislative days of their filing. Still, Republicans and a number of Democrats have voiced their opposition.
one old 80 YEAR OLD- white straight man-thurman adams -has let this bill die on purpose every year for 5 years –its time for him to GO !!OUR GOV IS A REALLY WITH IT-COOL GUY-JACK MARKELL and he isa really fair guy when it comes to equal rights for gays.Our time has come in Delaware !
Rick,
Word from towardequality a DE gay rights org is that Thurman Adams is in his very last term as legislator. The Delaware legislature has introduced a rule about this so-called “desk drawer” veto according to the same rights org. And word has it that sometime a DE civil unions bill will be offered maybe regardless of whether Adams is still there or retired.
Maryland(MD) passed this same type of legislation banning antigay discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation and did so some years ago.
THANKS, MORGAN–GREAT INFO !!
Once again transgender people have been purposely left out of this type of legislation. Excluded for the greater good of another, larger minority. Let’s hope that it doesn’t take five years or more for DE’s civil rights legislation to include transgender folks.
This is long over-due. It is a disgrace that the “First State” takes so long to uphold fairness and equality for all. “Special interests for none and equality for all” would be a great anthem for Delaware and the rest of America. I would urge every resident to contact their state officials in support of this legislation.
I am disgusted that these noniclusive bills, both in Delaware and W.Virginia, have been pushed forward at the grievous expense of those state’s trans people, a group that suffer demonstrably more hate and discrimination than the GLB portion of the community because of their unavoidable visibility.
I call on the people and GLBT organizations in those states to drop their support of these hateful pieces of legislation.
I really didn’t realize how much the T was left out in bills until I really began looking around at bills. I’m in Washington State and there is a bill to add T to state hate crime laws. The LGB was added in 1993 and it is so sad that it has taken 16 years for the T to make it in the law. It hasn’t passed the legislature yet but the Senate voted 36-12 to pass the bill……and looking around online I see only 1-2 news articles about it. T issues don’t even make it in the news it seems.