Panel splits on bill for transgender rights
Measure moves to House without support
By LAUREN R. DORGAN Monitor staff
March 18, 2009 - 12:00 am
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20090318%2FNEWS01%2F903180326A House panel split yesterday on whether to recommend a bill that supporters said would prevent discrimination against transgender people but that opponents, who dubbed the measure the "bathroom bill," said would tear down proper barriers between the sexes.
The House Judiciary Committee voted 10-10 on whether to support the bill. That deadlock means that the committee will offer no recommendation to the whole House on whether it should become law or not. The House is expected to take up the bill next week.
House members say they've received hundreds of e-mails and calls from people opposed to the bill. House Bill 1415 would add "gender identity and expression" to a host of factors that cannot be discriminated against by employers, landlords and others, including age, sex, race, color, marital status, religion, physical or mental disability or national origin.
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http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Split+committee+takes+no+position+on+gay+rights+bills&articleId=0207c46a-c3ea-4bc5-9c4a-3e6e1c31b86d
