"Equality For All Texans Support HB 538"

"Equality For All Texans Support HB 538" A Facebook Group which is seeking to inform and gain support for the introduction and passage of a Sexual and Gender workplace non discrimination bill in the present session of the Texan Legislature.

House Bill 538 prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.(Click here for HB538 Text)

The bill will incorporate sexual orientation and gender identity/expression into all existing labor code sections dealing with nondiscrimination, treating them equally with race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin, or age

GET INVOLVED:
1) Call your state representative directly and inform him/her know that as their constituent this bill is very important to you as well as why it is important. And ask your friends and family call their representatives.
Click here to find out who your State Representative is.

2) Pass this information to everyone you know whether or not they are gay.

3) Post this information on your MySpace, Facebook or any other online community that you belong to.

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HOW A BILL GET'S PASSED AT A GLANCE!

1) A State Representative files the bill in the house (in this case it has been Bdone)

2) In a few weeks the bill will get assigned to a committee.

3) A hearing is then scheduled in which any one (including you) can go before the panel and state your case. (Once the bill get’s to this step everyone will be informed so that we can all caravan up to Austin to state our
case.)

4) The Committee will vote on whether or not it will go before the House of Representatives and if the bill is approved by the committee:

5) The bill then goes to the Calendar Committee which schedules the bill for a vote. (This is a process that we as a community need to monitor closely because
not all bills get scheduled. If a bill does not get scheduled then it dies.)

6) At the time determined by the Calendar committee The House of
Representatives will then vote on the Bill. If the bill passes:
7) The State Senate will vote whether or not the bill goes before the Governor.
If the State Senate approves the bill:

8) The Governor will then have final say as to whether or not the bill becomes
a law.


By Kelli Busey
Jan. 15, 2009
planetransgender

Gainesville Florida gains in Equality Challenged

By kelli Busey
Dec. 06, 2008
planetransgender

Gainesville Florida a city of vision.

A misleading petition campaign which fostered fear of sexual predators is bringing to vote a proposed amendment whether to allow stand equality afforded presently by this cities laws. The petition campaign gathered the necessary votes by expounding on fear of sexual deviants who would for some reason would suddenly care about societies law and and attack woman in bathrooms now all people in Gainesville are allowed equal rights. This cities determination to protect it's citizenry is being brought to a vote on March 24, 2009.

>snip>

According to Gainesville.com Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan emphasized Thursday that without the city's added protections, it is perfectly legal for a business owner to refuse to serve a gay person or for a landlord to deny housing to a transgender individual.

She said the city has chosen to protect these people from discrimination.

"If you take away your community's right to do that and cede that right to the state, then you defacto say, that, 'OK, we are willing to allow those discriminations.' "

>snip<

The petition sponsor "Citizens for Good Public Policy" who orginally objected to transgender people being included in human rights objected to the wording the Council choose for the proposed admendment which clarified which class of people would loose protection as "Gender Idenity" should the admendment pass.

No one Left Out at Debut of Minnesota Gender Advocates

Queer Today Reports that a new Gender Advocacy group has arisen to tender the question in Minnesota "Why are we removed from ENDA?".

Left Out Party - Sept, 13th 2008
No one Left Out at Debut of Minnesota Gender Advocates
Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008

Close to a hundred people attended the Left Out Party organized by Minnesota Gender Advocates at Pi Bar, in Minneapolis to celebrate inclusiveness and community. The event was organized to show the Twin Cities support of a fully gender inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). The ENDA passed in 2007, by the National House of Representatives, is legislation designed to protect workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation. Minnesota Gender Advocates, along with hundreds of other organizations across the country is working for an ENDA that also includes protections for gender identity and expression.


On this night, while the Human Rights Campaign held their annual dinner across town, attendees showed their support for a fully inclusive ENDA by signing over 75 letters to members of Minnesota's federal congressional delegation. One of the highlights of the evening was a visit by Representative Keith Ellison (5th Congressional District) who shared his support for a fully inclusive ENDA. Among community leaders attending, Raquel (Rocki) Simões from the GLBT Host Home Program, Avenues For Homeless Youth, attended to show her program's commitment to expanding protections to people of all gender identities.

Minnesota Gender Advocates is a new group working for visibility and equality for all Trans, Intersex, gender Queer and gender Questioning (TIQQ) Minnesotans. Our Mission is to raise awareness of issues affecting TIQQ communities, promote equality, and advocate for legal and policy changes that affect our civil rights.