Saying there was not enough support in the Republican caucus to move forward, a bill that would have added sexual orientation to the state’s civil rights code has died.
SB 344 would have outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation, but did not provide any protections based on gender identity.
Senate President Pro Tempore David Long said he wanted to move the bill forward, but there was not enough support in the GOP caucus to do so. Long, as well as bill sponsor Senator Travis Holdman noted that the issue was not going away, and that it would have been better that the legislature handle the issue instead of the courts.
Long also said it was inevitable, that the LGBT community would get protected status.
You can hear Long and Holdman’s comments in the Leon-Tailored Audio above. There is also reaction from Senate Democratic Leader Tim Lanane.
