"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

National Freedom to Marry Day

National Freedom to Marry Day
Feb 12, 2009

On National Freedom to Marry Day, all Marriage Equality USA® Chapters and Member Organizations will participate in Marriage Equality USA's National Freedom to Marry Events. Marriage Equality USA® has also partnered with Join The Impact for this national event. Thursday, February 12, 2009, at local marriage counters in cities all over the country, same-sex couples will request marriage licenses at their local County Clerk’s Offices to raise awareness of the harms and impact the inability to marry causes on their families.



Since 2001, Marriage Equality USA® chapters have engaged in these annual marriage counter actions to render visible the discrimination that is enforced every day. It is an affront to our basic dignity as fellow human beings when same-sex couples are turned away from the marriage counter, but it gives us the opportunity to tell our stories and show that we live in every community and want to honor and protect our families like everyone else. Everyone who supports marriage equality is welcomed to attend and support this event.

By Kelli Busey
Jan. 15, 2009
planetransgender