Michigan Democrats came together on Wednesday to show support to the bill that would include members of the LGBT community in the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.
State Sen. Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor, said in a statement that it should be a priority to reintroduced these bills to eradicate discrimination towards the LGBT community.
“We are long overdue in updating ELCRA and we cannot let fear or misinformation divide us as we work to secure these critical legal protections for all Michiganders,” Warren said in the statement. “Now is the time to move this legislation forward to make sure that no one is left behind, including Michigan’s transgender citizens.”
Last year, a bill to include LGBT individuals in the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act was discussed but it was never voted on.
The democrats will reintroduce the bills in both chambers — Warren in the Senate and Rep. Jon Hoadley, D-Kalamazoo, in the House of Representatives.
“Extending legal protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Michiganders is a matter of basic fairness,” said Hoadley in a statement. “No one in our state should have to fear losing their job or losing their home because of who they love or who they are.”
Gov. Rick Snyder has said in the past he will vetoed any Religion Freedom Restoration Act bill unless it is accompanied by the expanded version of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.
"I think there are a lot of folks on both sides of the aisle that want to continue the discussion," Hoadley said. "I think that some folks have talked about making these two bills move at the same time."
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
