Thursday, Equality Federation launched the Legislative Action Center (LAC). The LAC will empower state-based LGBTQ organizations to hold their ground during turbulent state legislative sessions while also winning nondiscrimination protections and other important policy advances for LGBTQ people and their families. With these new tools, Equality Federation can anticipate committee hearings, floor votes, and other important legislative milestones to help advocates prepare for their on-the-ground work to win equality.
Rebecca Isaacs, Equality Federation’s executive director said, “Last year we saw over one hundred anti-LGBTQ bills introduced across the country and we expect another avalanche of negative bills this year. We have a game plan to stop these attacks. We can target the right people at the right time with the right message to help defeat these bills.”
Equality Federation is already tracking dozens of terrible, anti-LGBTQ pieces of legislation with more added daily. Few states will be spared. A new bill in Indiana includes even broader religious exemptions than the infamous law that passed last year. It would invalidate all protections passed at the city and county level. Discriminatory bills that attempt to prevent transgender people from using public restrooms are being fought by Freedom Oklahoma, PROMO in Missouri, Equality Virginia, and Equality South Dakota, among others. Equality Florida is facing a triple threat with a bill that would allow businesses, state-funded adoption agencies, and even health care providers to discriminate against LGBTQ people based on religious objections.
In addition to staving off discriminatory attacks, many groups are working to build on growing public support for LGBTQ people and our families. Several states are pursuing fully comprehensive and inclusive nondiscrimination bills, protecting people from discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, and public accommodations. PROMO in Missouri, Equality Ohio and Equality Pennsylvania are among those working toward victory on that front in 2016. And we know that at least twelve states are working to ban anti-LGBTQ conversion “therapies.”
“Equality Federation is better networked with national and state-based LGBTQ and allied organizations than ever. We have the tools to hammer our opponents with effective messaging. We get the big picture so we can identify trends across the nation. We share strategic information with each locality on how to win,” said Amanda McLain-Snipes, Organizational Development & Training Manager.
To learn more about Equality Federation and see a sampling of the bills Equality Federation is tracking, visit http://equalityfederation.org/
