According to a press release from Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla’s office, a measure, AB 2501, was approved yesterday by the Assembly Public Safety committee. This bill ensures that criminal defendants cannot use the so-called “panic defense” claim in an attempt to lower a charge from murder to manslaughter, or to escape conviction all together. “It…
BANGKOK — GayAsiaNews.com reports that progress in a marriage equality law in Thailand remains stuck more because of the ongoing political crisis than any serious social opposition to same-sex couples marrying. Thailand already was in the forefront of Asian countries with a bill in parliament for acknowledging marriage equality. However, the prolonged fluid situation of…
WASHNGTON, D.C.—The Open for Business Coalition, comprised of some of the nation’s leading business associations, has formed to actively oppose the so-called “Religious Freedom Bills” that are really anti-gay bills and are currently before several state legislatures. The coalition formalized its efforts as Miss. Gov. Phil Byrant signed his state’s version of the bill. Many…
After differing versions of Mississippi’s so-called “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” passed the House and Senate, yesterday a conference committee reported out a final bill that fails to prohibit discrimination against customers based on business owners’ personal religious beliefs. Tonight the final bill passed both houses of the Mississippi legislature and now heads to the desk of Gov….
Media Matters for America’s latest piece reveals how National Review has established itself as a staunch proponent of allowing business owners refuse service to gay and lesbian customers. It’s a position that unfortunately aligns with National Review‘s record of attacking defending discrimination against marginalized groups, including its shameful opposition to the Civil Rights Movement in the…
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, has released a comprehensive state-by-state report detailing LGBT-related legislation in 2013, a year marked by huge victories for the LGBT community from statehouses across the nation to the United States Supreme Court. The…
JACKSON, Miss.– Today a group of Mississippi Baptist and Methodist leaders sent an open letter to state legislators condemning SB 2681 that would allow businesses to refuse services to the LGBT community on the basis of religious freedom. In the letter the signatories stand firm in their support of religious freedom, saying they hold the…
Today the Fairness for All Marylanders Act, a bill that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations and credit, passed the full Senate after last week having been voted out of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. “It is critical that the Maryland legislature gets to the unfinished business of…
A group of Jesuits from the New York-based magazine America: The National Catholic Review have written an editorial calling out Catholics who promote, agree with or turn a blind eye to punishing new laws being enacted throughout Africa. “Gay and lesbian people in these countries are living under a sword of Damocles, constantly afraid that…
From Media Matters For America comes their latest post on the media’s coverage of Arizona’s anti-gay bill: Fox News dedicated its first segment on Gov. Brewer’s veto of Arizona’s anti-gay bill to an interview with one of America’s most notorious anti-gay hate group leaders. Feb. 26, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer announced that she had vetoed Senate…
