Virginia
Republicans have killed a bill that would have strengthened
workplace protections for gay and lesbian employees in state
and local government, The Washington Post reported Thursday. Virginia
Senate Bill 700 would have extended the reach of gay and
lesbian workplace protections installed by newly
elected Democratic governor Tim Kaine in his first
official act as governor.
Kaine's
Executive Order 1 prohibited state agencies from
discriminating based on sexual orientation. Democratic
state senators Mamie Locke and L. Louise Lucas
introduced Bill 700 to make those protections permanent and
grant them to workers in all state and local government
agencies. Instead, a Republican majority of the senate
general laws and technology committee rejected the
bill.
The move sparked
an outcry from national Democrats. "By killing Senate
Bill 700 in committee, Virginia Republicans chose to follow
Karl Rove's playbook of scapegoating groups of
people and dividing Americans to win
elections," said Democratic National Committee
chairman Howard Dean. "In electing Tim Kaine,
the people of Virginia sent a loud message that this
sort of politics is bad for Virginia and bad for
America." (Advocate.com)