California
lawmakers protect gays from discrimination

The California senate on Monday approved legislation specifying that a major civil rights law bars businesses from discriminating against people because of their sexual orientation or marital status. Democratic senator Sheila Kuehl said the courts have uniformly ruled that the Unruh Civil Rights Act, named after former assembly speaker and state treasurer Jesse Unruh, already covers those two categories. The bill, by Democratic assemblyman John Laird, would remove any doubt and avoid litigation, Kuehl said. A 22-15 vote sent the legislation back to the assembly for a vote on senate amendments. (AP)