Equality California announces 2016 legislative package

SACRAMENTO — Equality California Monday announced seven bills comprising its 2016 legislative package. “Each of our sponsored bills advances a key portion of the mission we unveiled in 2014,” said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California. “Laws surrounding HIV transmission continue to stigmatize people living with HIV and must be modernized.  LGBT people are targets…

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Hundreds of thousands call for repeal of North Carolina anti-LGBT law as legislature returns

RALEIGH, N.C. – Nearly 190,000 signatures demanding the repeal of North Carolina’s anti-LGBT House Bill 2 were delivered to the office of Gov. Pat McCrory today by a collection of civil rights, faith, business, and advocacy groups as the state legislature returns for the first time since it introduced and passed the law limiting legal…

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Ted Cruz releases new transphobic ad (VIDEO)

Ted Cruz has released a new campaign ad attacking transgender people. Released Thursday, Cruz’s ad highlights his support for North Carolina’s HB2, an anti-LGBT law that forces transgender North Carolinians to use restroom facilities in schools and on publicly-owned property inconsistent with their gender identity. HB2 also attacks minorities by blocking individuals from suing under…

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Commentary: Yes Hillary, it should be Warren

As the media now pivots to vice presidential candidates for presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, she should take a page out of her husband’s playbook and buck conventional wisdom. When Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton picked Tennessee Senator Al Gore as his running mate for the presidency, conventional political wisdom believed the choice of Gore was…

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HRC calls out North Carolina Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger on HB 2

WASHINGTON – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) called out North Carolina Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger for his campaign of hate against transgender people. Repeatedly, Berger, the top ranking official in the North Carolina State Senate, has taken to social media to spread hateful anti-transgender rhetoric and lies about his shameful and discriminatory…

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Jackson Public School Board unanimously adopts LGBT-inclusive employment policy

JACKSON, Miss. – Today the Jackson Public School Board of Trustees voted unanimously to extend fully-inclusive sexual orientation and gender identity workplace protections to their employees. With almost 30,000 students, the Jackson Public School district is second largest in the state and one of the first in the Mississippi Public School system to grant employment protections to…

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NBA commissioner warns All-Star Game will be moved out of NC If lawmakers fail to change HB 2

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory’s radical anti-LGBT HB 2 must be changed or the league will move the 2017 All-Star Game out of the state. The commissioner’s comments come just days before the North Carolina General Assembly is scheduled to reconvene. Thursday at the Associated Press Sports Editors’ commissioner meetings,…

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Sen. Leno’s Foreclosure Prevention Bill passes key committee

SACRAMENTO – The Senate Banking Committee Wednesday passed legislation that helps prevent unnecessary foreclosures when a primary mortgage holder passes away. Senate Bill 1150, authored by Senators Mark Leno and Cathleen Galgiani, closes a loophole in California law that fails to provide surviving spouses and children important protections against foreclosure that are available to other…

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Alabama House Committee advances LGBT-inclusive hate crimes legislation

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Wednesday, the Alabama House Judiciary Committee’s 7-5 voted to advance H.B. 413 —  legislation that would add to the state’s hate crimes statute critical new protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. The bill, sponsored by Reps. Juandalynn Givan and Patricia Todd, now heads to the full…

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American Counseling Association and Tennessee Equality Project call on Gov. Haslam to veto Hate Bill 1840

The Tennessee General Assembly recently voted to pass HB 1840/SB 1556. Also known as Hate Bill 1840, HB1840 will permit counselors to deny services and refer clients based on the provider’s “strongly held beliefs.” Not only is the proposed legislation discriminatory in nature, but it is also an unnecessary government intrusion that could result in costly unintended consequences…

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