Iowa Legislature Passes Non-Discrimination Bill

Now, if on the Connecticut Legislature can get their act together and pass the amendments for Gender Identity and Expression to the Connecticut’s Anti-Discrimination bill SB1044.

247gay.com

Iowa Legislature Passes Non-Discrimination Bill
04.27.07

On Wednesday, members of the Iowa House of Representatives voted 59 to 37 to approve a bill outlawing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, public accommodations, housing, education and credit practices. The bill passed with bipartisan support, with nine Republicans voting in favor of the bill.

This legislation, which passed the Iowa Senate on March 26, 2007, by a 32-17 vote, must be sent back to the Iowa Senate for concurrence with the House version. If the bill is signed into law, Iowa will become the 19th U.S. state to ban workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and the 10th to ban discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

Such a result would please many of the state’s business leaders, according to recent reports from The Des Moines Register.

In an article that appeared in the newspaper earlier this month, Marvin Pomerantz of Mid-America Group, whose businesses have already adopted policies protecting their employees, said, "As employers, we believe all Iowans should be able to live and work without fear based on their race, gender, religion, ability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic.”

Likewise, W. Kim Austen, president of Allied Insurance, said, "As we continue to grow our operations in Iowa, we are focused on keeping and attracting workers to our state. The proposed changes in the civil rights code will assist in attracting workers to come to and stay in Iowa."

Leaders from Bankers Trust, Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Business Publications Corp., Principal Financial Group, Aviva, Meredith Corp., and other businesses also have aired their support for the bill in the last few weeks.

On a national level, Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese praised the Iowa Legislature yesterday for their work up to this point.

“Legislators in Iowa have taken historic action to advance the cause of equality for all Iowans. Once this bill is signed, Iowa will be a freer and fairer place for its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents,” he said in a release. “We applaud the many legislators who voted for fairness and equality; Governor Culver, who has pledged to sign this bill; our friends at One Iowa, the Interfaith Alliance Action Fund, the Iowa Safe Schools Task Force and the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, as well as all the HRC members in Iowa who worked hard to pass this important legislation.”

© 2007 GayBusinessWorld.com; All Rights Reserved.

Connecticut has been dragging along, passing the bill from one committee to another, doing anything to delay the bill. You would think that it would be a no brainier, but a certain organization has a problem with the bill. They are afraid that their kids might have to see someone who is different they are afraid that the kids will see a man in a dress. In another new article about the Iowa law there was a comment made by the president of the Iowa Family Policy Center that stated their concerns:

Chuck Hurley, president of the Iowa Family Policy Center, called the proposal "legislative malpractice." Under the proposal, an elementary teacher, "Mr. Jones," could dress like "Mrs. Jones" and "shock the conscious of students" without repercussions, he said.

Iowa state legislature had enough guts to pass this bill why cannot the Connecticut legislature?