Ohio House Approves Anti-Discrimination Bill

The Ohio House of Representatives voted 56 to 39 on Tuesday to approve the Equal Housing and Employment Act (HB 176), which would outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, public accommodations, housing, education, and credit practices.  The bill now moves to the Ohio Senate for consideration.  If passed by the state senate and signed into law, Ohio will become the 22nd U.S. state to ban workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and the 13th to ban such discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

“State Representatives in Ohio have taken historic action to advance the cause of equality for all Ohioans.  This bill will make Ohio a freer and fairer place for its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese in a press release issued by the HRC.  “No one should face discrimination simply because of who they are. We applaud the many legislators who voted today for fairness and equality, House Speaker Armond Budish, our friends at Equality Ohio, and the HRC members in Ohio who worked hard to secure today’s historic House vote.”

The Human Rights Campaign partnered with Equality Ohio and the Ohio Democratic Party in 2008 to elect a fair-minded majority to the Ohio House of Representatives and partnered with Equality Ohio this year to help secure Tuesday’s vote.