Florida Senate panel approves Gay Rights Bill

(Tallahassee, Florida) With the support of both Democrats and Republicans, a Florida Senate committee approved a bill this morning to prohibit discrimination against gay men and lesbians in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

"After conferring with his colleagues last year, Senator Deutch determined that if the Senate bill included gender identity, it would be dead on arrival," said Hoch. "Over the past twenty years, the Council has learned that we work with supportive lawmakers, we should defer to them on legislative strategy."

However, at the request of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Representative Kelly Skidmore (D-Boca Raton) introduced a transgender-inclusive bill in the Florida House of Representatives.

"The Skidmore bill prohibits discrimination based on both gender identity and gender expression," said Hoch. "That is the legislation that ultimately must be signed into law."

Last October, the Council proposed a two-bill strategy, which was adopted by Deutch and Skidmore.

"It is easy for politically correct people who do not have a clue on laws are made in Florida to attack the two-bill strategy," said Hoch. "But today's bipartisan vote shows that the two bill strategy is working."

Governor Charlie Crist, a longtime civil rights advocate, has not yet indicated whether he would sign a GLBT non-discrimination bill when it reaches his desk.

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