South Dakota becomes first state this year to enact anti-LGBT legislation

WASHINGTON – South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard made South Dakota the first state this year to enact anti-LGBT legislation following the signing of S.B. 149 Friday, which permits taxpayer-funded agencies to deny services to LGBT people, authorizing discrimination through the use of religious exemptions. With today’s signing of S.B. 149, the legislation becomes the first…

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Civil and human rights groups call for stronger response to hate incidents

WASHINGTON –The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and 155 civil and human rights groups Friday called upon the Executive Branch to respond more quickly and forcefully to hate-based incidents, which have been occurring at an alarming rate in recent months. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by…

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National health organizations strongly oppose proposed repeal of the Affordable Care Act

March 6, Republican members of the House of Representatives released proposed legislation to repeal key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which would significantly limit access to private insurance and Medicaid for those who need it most. The American Health Care Act would substantially decrease coverage options and increase insurance costs for people living…

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Janet Mock and The Ally Coalition launch ‘Dear Betsy Devos’ postcard campaign rejecting discrimination against transgender students

UPDATE 03/13/17: More than 28,000 people have joined with Janet Mock, the Ally Coalition and Care2 in sending postcards to Education Secretary Betsy Devos urging her to protect transgender students from discrimination. Bestselling author Janet Mock and nonprofit The Ally Coalition have partnered with Care2 to create #DearBetsyDevos, a campaign that enables signers to send…

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Second Mississippi city passes major LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination ordinance

MAGNOLIA, Miss. — Thursday, the Magnolia, Miss., Board of Aldermen unanimously enacted a city-wide non-discrimination protections that included sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, public accommodations and employment. The ordinance also includes a new LGBTQ-inclusive hate crimes provision. Magnolia is now the second city in Mississippi to pass a fully-inclusive non-discrimination ordinance, joining Jackson,…

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Ben Carson’s HUD starts rolling back housing protections for LGBTQ people

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) issued two notices announcing the withdrawal of proposed information collection within two areas that directly impact the LGBTQ community. Published today in the Federal Register the first withdrawal is the Implementation Phase Review of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Youth Homelessness…

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Hundreds of LGBTQ advocates from across the country storm Capitol Hill for HRC’s 2017 Lobby Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thursday, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) held its annual spring Lobby Day, joining hundreds of HRC members and volunteers on  Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and encourage support for issues critical to the LGBTQ community — from passing the Equality Act to opposing the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to…

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HRC calls on Congress to reject the American Health Care Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Thursday, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) sent a letter opposing the American Health Care Act (AHCA) to the Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR), the Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce; Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce; Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX), the…

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Utah Legislature passes bill repealing anti-LGBT state public education law

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Today, the Utah Legislature passed a bill repealing a state law prohibiting supportive discussions of “homosexuality” in public and charter school curricula and classrooms. The legislation passed with bipartisan support by a 27-1 vote in the Senate and a 68- 1 vote in the House. The bill now goes to…

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Affordable Housing Funding Bill moves forward

SACRAMENTO, Calif., – The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee today approved Assembly Bill (AB) 71, a measure authored by Assemblymember David Chiu (D – San Francisco) that will create an ongoing, permanent state funding source for affordable housing by eliminating the state mortgage interest deduction on vacation homes. The bill received aye votes from…

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