Your voice, your vote matters.

Please take action today on the following issues:

Write your Delegate and Senator and urge them to support the following legislation that will state simply that discrimination against GLBT people is against the public policy of the Commonwealth.

VIRGINIA HUMAN RIGHTS ACT – SB 797 (LOCKE); HB 1755 (PLUM)

• These bills would add sexual orientation (defined to include gender identity) to the protected classes now enumerated in the Virginia Human Rights Act.  The effect of this bill will be to state that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is against the public policy of the Commonwealth.  

Write your Delegate and Senator and urge them to support the following legislation that will help end workplace discrimination for all public employees in the Commonwealth.

NONDISCRIMINATION IN PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT –HB 2046 (EBBIN); HB 1509 (SCOTT, J.M.); SB 747 (MCEACHIN)    

• Governors since Holton have protected state employees from discrimination in employment.  Warner and Kaine extended this protection to GLBT employees. It is now time to make this policy permanent and, in the case of HB 2046 extend it to all state and local employees.
• It is a fundamental American and Virginian value that people who do their jobs, pay their taxes and contribute to their communities should not be singled out for unfair workplace discrimination. 
• 90% of Virginia voters support ending discrimination against GLBT people in government employment.

Write your Delegate and Senator and urge them to support the following legislation that will allow state and local employers to offer expanded benefits to GLBT employees.

STATE AND LOCAL EMPLOYEE BENEFITS – SB 1121  (HERRING/MCEACHIN) and SB 1122 (MCEACHIN)   

• SB 1121 would free local governments to set their own personnel and benefits policies.  This bill will allow public employers the flexibility and legal authority to amend local policies (other than retirement or grievance systems) to respond to market conditions and best serve local employees.
• SB 1122 would authorize the State Department of Human Resources to offer health insurance plans to state employees that include any person who could be included in a plan offered by a private employer under the state insurance laws. Currently, the statute limits those who may be covered.
• This legislation will provide Virginia’s state and local governments with the flexibility to define personal policies and offer benefits packages to their employees that they feel are necessary to attract and retain the best employees in a competitive job market.

Write your Delegate and Senator and urge them to support the following legislation that will strengthen Virginia's laws against bullying in our schools and colleges.

ANTI-BULLYING LAWS – HB 1575 (ENGLIN); HB 1576 (EBBIN); HB 1748 (PLUM); HJ 625 (BELL)

• Equality Virginia supports legislation that will strengthen the ability of Virginia schools to respond to bullying, and believes that HB 1575 and HB 1576 should be enacted without further study. At the same time, Equality Virginia supports a study of current policy implementation to identify ways to improve prevention efforts particularly as they apply to GLBT students.

Write your Delegate and Senator and tell them that you support the following resolution that is needed to move us along the path to full marriage equality.

REPEAL THE MARSHALL-NEWMAN AMENDMENT – HJR 638  (ENGLIN)                                                

• This resolution is the necessary first step toward repealing the Marshall-Newman amendment that added to the bill of rights of the Virginia Constitution an amendment denying all relationship recognition to GLBT couples.