Senate committee vote on workplace non-discrimination bill (SB 248) is setback for LGBT equality

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 20, 2014 Contact: Kirsten Bokenkamp, [email protected];  804.643.4816 The following statement can be attributed to James Parrish, executive director of Equality Virginia: “Today Senators Ruff, Stosch, Martin, Stuart, Black, Reeves, and Garrett stood in the path to progress and equality by killing a bill that passed the Senate last year with clear bi-partisan support.  These Senators refuse to acknowledge what the Virginia public and business community have long understood: protecting LGBT employees is not only the right thing to do, but it also makes good business sense and will contribute to the overall success of the commonwealth. SB 248 would have protected all state employees from workplace non-discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.  Despite today’s temporary setback, executive order one, signed by Governor McAuliffe, will protect the state’s LGBT employees while he remains in office.  Equality Virginia and our coalition partners will continue to work to codify executive order one to protect state LGBT employees from discrimination.”