Trans-gender rights bill passes House by one vote

By TOM FAHEY
State House Bureau Chief
26 minutes ago

http://unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Trans-gender+rights+bill+passes+House+by+one+vote&articleId=c0687353-74a5-4278-ba46-6c016c2e32a3

Concord – By a single vote, the New Hampshire House today reversed itself and passed a bill that bars discrimination on the basis of gender identity. The proposal was dubbed the "bathroom bill" by its opponents.

The bill, House Bill 415, allows individuals to bring actions at the Human Rights Commission when they feel they have been discriminated against on the basis of their sexual identity, or the way they express it, such as with their clothing or makeup.

After more than three hours of debate that opened today's session, the House voted 188-187 to pass the bill. The bill postponed the crushing business of passing a $11.5 billion, two-year state budget.

Early in the debate, Speaker of the House Terie Norelli, D-Portsmouth, took the unusual step of leaving her podium and speaking in favor of the bill. She said she was disappointed in debate two weeks ago, and by "the muddying of the waters" on the issue.

Great news -- it seems the tide is starting to turn all across the country in a way...

Published: Wednesday, April 8, 2009
House reverses itself on transgender bill

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090408/NEWSBLOG/904089959/-1/XML15

CONCORD - By a single vote, the House of Representatives today reversed itself and passed legislation making it illegal to discriminate against transgender people in housing or accommodation.

The final vote of support, 188-187, came after it rejected more than a dozen amendments including attempts to carve out exemptions for religious organizations, private or parochial schools, hospitals, government employers and nursing homes.

House Speaker Terie Norelli, D-Portsmouth, chose this issue on which to speak from the House floor for the first time since winning re-election last December.

it's good to see this passing through the U.S., but Ohio and Tennessee will be the last two to figure this out and be at least another thirty years in the making, which puts me at 56 if i'm still living(can't count on everything or everyone you know?)