Issues
Our agenda:
- Employment Non-Discrimination,
- Nondiscriminating Ordinances in Municipalities Throughout Louisiana,
- Safe Schools and Anti-Bullying,
- Second Parent Adoption,
- Domestic Partnership Benefits.
Latest update on issues:
Safer Schools for All Students
Louisiana law does not enumerate or detail a standard anti-bullying policy to which schools must adhere. This process is currently left to that of the individual schools or local school boards. The lack of compulsory policies allows for students to be victimized and targeted unfairly within our school systems.
To address this, LA State Representative Austin Badon filed the Safe Schools Bill, House Bill 112 at the State Legislature. The Forum For Equality worked with a coalition of LGBT organizations, disability rights advocates, educators, parents and students to provide testimony to the legislator’s on the importance of protecting all students from the detrimental and isolating effects of bullying. The inclusive legislation aimed to combat peer victimization that is motivated by actual or perceived characteristics. As detailed in the bill, those characteristics includes race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, physical characteristics, political persuasion, mental disability, or physical disability.
House Bill 112 passed through the House Education Committee on May 12 with an eight-to-four vote. During the floor vote, the enumerated list of suggested protected characteristics was removed by amendment. Then, the gutted bill failed by a vote of 43 to 54.
Strengthening Families
Louisiana law does not permit a child to be adopted by a couple that are not married, no matter how long they have lived together. This is true of heterosexual couples and gay couples.
This is a policy that is inconsistent with the generally accepted concept that a second parent can benefit a child’s welfare. This concept is true for children of unmarried couples. Allowing a committed but unmarried couple to adopt a child together is commonly known as second parent adoption.
House Bill 288– Second Parent Adoption – was heard in the LA House Civil Law and Procedure committee on Monday, May 23rd in Baton Rouge. The bill was involuntarily deferred barring any further action this legislative session.
We are sincerely thankful for Representative Helena Moreno who sponsored HB 288 and made a genuine and concerted effort to inform the committee members of the legal, financial and emotional importance of second parent adoptions. We are also grateful for the many speakers who came to Baton Rouge to testify on behalf of this important measure - ACLU-LA Executive Director Marjorie Esman, New Orleans City Councilman Arnie Fielkow, NASW Louisiana Executive Director Carmen Weisner and parents Kelly Bryson and Anna Schnieder.
Employment Non-Discrimination
Employment in the state is at-will, meaning an employer can hire and fire an employee for any reason not protected by federal and state laws. Sexual orientation and gender identity are currently not afforded the protection of federal or state law.
There only a few places in the state that have passed local inclusive nondiscrimination policies including the City of Shreveport and New Orleans. In general, though, there is very little recourse for the vast majority of LGBT citizens who are unfairly denied employment or lose their jobs because of discrimination. All residents should be treated fairly and equally by the laws of our state.
The Senate Labor and Industrial Relations committee heard SB 211 on June 2, 2011. The Employment Non-Discrimination for state government employees bill was authored by Sen. J.P. Morrell of New Orleans and would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. After nearly an hour of testimony and questioning from the committee, the Bill was voluntarily deferred due to lack of a quorum. We would like to thank the many people who testified in support of the bill. Mary Griggs, Morris Welch of Metropolitan Community Church of Baton Rouge, Ted Baldwin, and a representative from AFL-CIO. They joined Sarah Jane Brady in speaking about the many reasons why the state needs to expand it’s employment non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation and gender identity. We are very grateful for Sen. J.P. Morrell authoring this important piece of legislation and are looking forward to continue working with him in the future.
Learn more about our 2011 legislative agenda and details on every bill here!
Learn more about supporting our legislative efforts here!
Learn more about supporting our statewide municipal efforts here!
