FIGHTING THEM OFF AT EVERY TURN readying for a RIse of Anti-LGBT Legislation in Statehouses across the country
A
fter sweeping electoral changes across the country
this past November, state legisla-
âThis year, Americans will likely see an uptick in bills with a negative impact on the LGBT community,â said Sarah Warbelow, the Human Rights Campaignâs state legislative director. âBut we will continue to fight them off at every turn.â
tures are back in session and ready to begin crafting new laws. While there were new fair-minded governors elected in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, 21 legislative chambers shifted to anti-equality control.
HRC is working to engage with as many states as possible. However, it has set Maryland, New Hampshire and New York as top priorities. In 2010, HRC and others were able to hold off anti-LGBT legislation at the state level, including helping to stave off anti-marriage equality amendments to state constitutions in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, noted Warbelow, author of Equality from State to State, HRCâs newly released yearly report on state-level activity.
EQUALITY AT RISK âDEFENSE OF MARRIAGEâ CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AND/OR REVERSAL OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY LAWS INDIANA, IOWA, MINNESOTA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW MEXICO, NORTH CAROLINA, PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST VIRGINIA NEGATIVE ADOPTION-RELATED MEASURES FLORIDA, KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR EQUALITY MARRIAGE EQUALITY BILLS MARYLAND, NEW YORK AND RHODE ISLAND CIVIL UNION BILLS COLORADO, DELAWARE AND HAWAII GENDER-IDENTITY BILLS MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW YORK COMPREHENSIVE NON-DISCRIMINATION BILL UTAH MARRIAGE LEGISLATION MEASURES IN 2012/2013 MAINE, OREGON AND WASHINGTON COMPREHENSIVE, ANTI-BULLYING LEGISLATION TEXAS
See www.hrc.org/statetostate for more.
WWW.HRC.ORG
winter 2011
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