By William Hershey
Middletown Journal

In a historic vote, the Ohio House on Tuesday, Sept. 15, approved legislation banning discrimination in employment and housing based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The vote was 56-39.

 

 
The bill now goes to the Senate where passage is less likely. Lynne Bowman, executive director of Equality Ohio, said supporters have 16 more months before this session of the legislature ends to win final approval. Bowman’s group advocates for equality for gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual Ohioans.
 

“This is a new opportunity,” Bowman said. Twenty states and the District of Columbia and 17 Ohio cities already have similar laws in effect, she said.

The vote was the first ever by the House and Senate on such legislation, said Bowman.

Rep. Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering, was one of five Republicans who joined 51 Democrats in supporting the bill. Lehner said that as a long-time opponent of abortion, she supported the “unalienable right to life” contained in the Declaration of Independence. She said she also supported the unalienable rights to liberty and the pursuit of happiness, also in the Declaration of Independence.

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The bill now goes to the Senate where passage is less likely. Lynne Bowman, executive director of Equality Ohio, said supporters have 16 more months before this session of the legislature ends to win final approval. Bowman’s group advocates for equality for gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual Ohioans.

“This is a new opportunity,” Bowman said. Twenty states and the District of Columbia and 17 Ohio cities already have similar laws in effect, she said.

The vote was the first ever by the House and Senate on such legislation, said Bowman.

Rep. Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering, was one of five Republicans who joined 51 Democrats in supporting the bill. Lehner said that as a long-time opponent of abortion, she supported the “unalienable right to life” contained in the Declaration of Independence. She said she also supported the unalienable rights to liberty and the pursuit of happiness, also in the Declaration of Independence.

Two of the other Republican supporters were Reps. Ross McGregor of Springfield, a joint sponsor of House Bill 176, and Terry Blair of Washington Township.

Rep. Lynn Wachtmann, R-Napoleon, angrily denounced the bill.

“Keep your hands and your morals and your immoral beliefs to yourselves,” he said, shaking a finger at Democrats. “Don’t punish those who disagree with you…”

This is the fourth legislative session in which such legislation has been proposed, said Bowman.

Advocates accelerated their efforts after Ohio voters in 2004 overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage.

The House gallery was filled with supporters of the bill.

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