Last night Magnolia, Miss. passed a resolution 3-2 recognizing the dignity and worth of all city residents – including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). Magnolia joins three other Mississippi cities – Starkville, Hattiesburg and Oxford – which all passed similar resolutions earlier this year. “Like so many cities across America, Magnolia,…
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….
Last night Oxford, Miss. unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the dignity and worth of all city residents – including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). Oxford joins two other Mississippi cities – Starkville and Hattiesburg – which both passed similar resolutions earlier this year. Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Chad Griffin issued…
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…
After hearing dozens of speakers about a new medical marijuana ordinance Tuesday, the San Diego City Council voted 8-1 to approve an ordinance that regulates medical marijuana dispensaries. The law will go into effect in about 45 days after the Council does a second reading that will make it official. Ninth District Councilmember Marti Emerald…
Last night, Hattiesburg, Miss. unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the dignity and worth of all city residents – including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). Hattiesburg is the second Mississippi municipality to pass such a resolution in the past month, with the city of Starkville taking similar action last month. Human Rights…
Nigeria has pased tough new anti-gay laws including outlawing gay marriage, public displays of same-sex relationships and belonging to gay groups. According to Aljazeera, Reuben Abatim, President Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesman, said that the president signed the bill because it was consistent with the attitudes of most people toward homosexuality in the West African nation. “I can confirm that the president…
Uganda has passed its anti-LGBT law that has been under consideration since 2009. The law does not include the death penalty provision it once did, but rather imprisons LGBT people for life. “Uganda’s anti-LGBT law specifically targets LGBT people with brutal persecution and is one of the worst human rights violations of our time.” said Ross…
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate voted 64 to 32 to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) for the first time in the legislation’s two-decade history. All Senate Democrats joined 10 Senate Republicans to approve the bill. Following passage of the act President Barack Obama issued the following statement: “For more than two centuries, the…
Late Monday night, the Hawaii Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor voted 5-2 to advance the marriage bill to the Senate floor. This is a first and crucial step towards winning marriage equality in Hawaii. In the group of over 1800 testifiers, Gov. Abercrombie, who ordered the special legislative session for marriage, the state’s Attorney…
