By Antonio Caban
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
STATE HOUSE — enate President Stanley Rosenberg weighed in Thursday on a federal bill that he called “critical” to ensuring equal rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Rosenberg addressed letters to the chairs of the U.S. House and Senate Judiciary committees urging them to support the Federal Equality Act of 2015 and calling on Congress to “follow the lead dozens of states and fortune 500 companies,”
“Passage of this bill is critical to ensuring that all LGBT Americans are protected from discrimination,” Rosenberg wrote in a letter addressed to Congressman Robert Goodlatte (R-Virginia), who serves as chair of the House Judiciary Committee.
The Federal Equality Act of 2015 would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sexual orientation and gender identity as “protected classes” from discrimination. The bill, sponsored by Congressman David Cicilline (D-Rhode Island) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), would ensure protections in employment, housing, access to credit, public accommodations, jury service, and federal funding.
Rosenberg explained in the letter that while the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality, several states still have no laws fully protecting same-sex couples from discrimination.
“In 31 states, same-sex couples can get married on Saturday, but could be fired from their job or evicted from their home because of who they are by the end of the week,” Rosenberg wrote. “As the second state to add LGBT discrimination to our statutes, Massachusetts has been a leader on this issue – extending protections that 19 other states have now joined us in. We have found these laws create more open, inclusive, and welcoming communities for all to live in.”
The Federal Equality Act currently has 207 cosponsors in the House and Senate, including all members of the Massachusetts delegation.
