Delaware: anti-discrimination bill passes after more than 10-year battle

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http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/11693/delaware-antidiscrimination-bill-passes-after-more-than-10year-battle

A partial equality win at the state level -- Delaware's Senate Bill 121 cleared its General Assembly and it will be signed by the governor into law. It adds sexual orientation (but not gender identity) to the list of protections under the state's anti-discrimination law.
Gays and lesbians in Delaware will have legal protection from discrimination under a bill that passed the General Assembly late Wednesday night, more than a decade after supporters started fighting for it.
The House chamber erupted in applause, cheers and hugs when representatives passed the measure shortly after 8:30 p.m. An hour earlier, the Senate -- where previous versions of the legislation always were killed -- passed the same bill after a three-hour debate.

The bill now goes to Gov. Jack Markell for his signature. Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, who helped push the bill through the House, said Markell has expressed support for it.

"We made a big step forward tonight," said Drewry Fennell, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Delaware, which supported the bill.

"It protects the most basic activities of human life -- moving about the world, earning a living, keeping a roof over your head," Fennell said. "Now the state has said you can't be discriminated against because of sexual orientation."

Now the issue is when will advocacy for the law to be expanded for trans-inclusion begin -- it's unfortunate that the effort here went on for so long for it to not be an inclusive victory. The language of the bill:

145th General Assembly
Senate Bill # 121
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 6, 9, 18, 19, 25, AND 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT, PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACTING, HOUSING, EQUAL ACCOMMODATIONS AND THE INSURANCE BUSINESS

This Act adds the term "sexual orientation" to the already-existing list of prohibited practices of discrimination. As such, this Act would forbid discrimination against a person on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, employment, public works contracting, public accommodations, and insurance. In addition, this Act would establish that the Superior Court, in the first instance, would hear and adjudicate alleged criminal violations under the Act of equal accommodations, fair housing and employment discrimination.

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