On January 28th, 2008 – the Human Rights Campaign Foundation released "Equality from State to State 2007," a comprehensive annual review of state legislation affecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans.
"2007 was a very positive year for state legislation affecting GLBT Americans," said Human Rights Campaign Foundation President Joe Solmonese. "For the most part, states passed pro-equality legislation and defeated dangerous anti-GLBT legislation. Four states passed laws protecting GLBT people from employment discrimination, and three passed either civil union or domestic partnership legislation. In several of these states, legislative achievements in 2007 flowed directly from electoral victories in 2006."
In 2007, state legislatures introduced more than 250 bills involving issues affecting GLBT people, including marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships, discrimination, hate crimes, parenting, and safe schools. Thirty-five of these bills passed—just five of which were anti-equality bills.
Some of the highlights:
- Iowa: newly elected fair-minded Legislature passed a bill prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Massachusetts: Legislature defeated, by a 151-45 vote, a proposed constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage.
- New Hampshire: civil unions legislation passed.
- Oregon: domestic partnership and anti-discrimination legislation passed.
The report also looks ahead to what is on the horizon for 2008.
The full report is available online at http://www.HRC.org/about_us/7071.htm.
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