A Virginia house of delegates subcommittee Tuesday killed legislation aimed at banning job discrimination against gay state employees.

The nondiscrimination bill, sponsored by Democratic senator Donald McEachin, was proposed after new Republican governor Bob McDonnell issued an executive order than banned job discrimination based on a variety of characteristics but did not cover sexual orientation; McDonnell said that was a matter for the legislature. Two previous administrations had protected gays against bias in state employment, according to the Associated Press.

The senate had passed the bill, but the house subcommittee rejected it in an unrecorded show-of-hands vote.