The Tennessee state Senate on Thursday approved a bill that would prohibit local governments from creating anti-discrimination laws that are stricter than protections laid out by the state government.
The bill, approved by a vote of 19-8, would effectively repeal a Nashville ordinance that bans discrimination by city contractors against gay, lesbian and transgender people.
Senators passed the Equal Access to Intrastate Commerce Act after a short debate in which supporters argued that the bill was needed to keep discrimination rules the same in communities throughout Tennessee.
“When it comes to anti-discrimination practices, we need to be have consistent rules across the state,” said state Sen. Jack Johnson (R-Franklin).
Under Tennessee state law it is illegal to discriminate against a person because of race, creed, color, religion, sex, age or national origin.
On April 5, the Nashville Metro Council adopted new rules that would also prohibit firms doing business with the city from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
If signed into law by Gov. Bill Haslam (R), the bill, approved in the state House on April 25, would nullify the Nashville ordinance.
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Filed under: Tennessee
Oh what the fuck?! You can’t be serious!
WTF!!!? They need protection you dumbasses! Altho clearly all of us americans need protection from our own government, since they keep treating us all like CRAP! UGH!
WTF?!?!?!?!!! WE ARE NOT TRASH
Hate is a 2-way street.
..This makes me ashamed to be a Tennessean -__- ….Fuckin’ ignorant dumbasses…
^^^^And they’re looking both ways…
Stupid hicks on steroids.
The US and Canada need to stop fighting about equal and not special rights… Every day it is about hate…
You’d think they’d leave their hillbilly ways behind and join the 21st century.
Nashville worked really hard for that, and it was meant to make sure that any business that is working for the state/city can’t discriminate on the basis of orientation.
I dont even feel anymore on this topic. It is beyond all things-cruel. Im not exactly religous but im going to take a guess and say that god would have an easier time accepted me for giving my love to another one of his creations than to one of these hate-filled bigots.
Just sayin.
Maybe we should take away the rights of the inbreds of america. Maybe then Tennessee will sympathize.
1 Step forward, 8 Steps back…
Bible Belt conservatism… Ridiculous.
@Kristin. Well said. Seems like everytime we make an advancement someone is there to knock us back down. Good luck to you and yours
Sadly, I am not surprised about this. Tennessee would still have Jim Crow laws if they could. People still fly the Confederate flag with almost as much frequency as the U.S. flag. While Nashville is progressive and modern, much of the state is stuck in the 19th century. I am so glad I live in Illinois now. Southern hospitality only exists as long as you are not gay.
We can not let those idiots in Tennessee set this ignorant expample for the other states.
The lines continue to be drawn state by state; we see where we are hated. There seems to be no in-between here, some states approving LGBT+ protection acts, others amending their constitutions to enforce hate. Eventually we will all start flocking to the states that give us rights and leave the economies of the rest to suffer and die without our fabulous contributions.
…I was born and raised in Nashville. I am NOT a hick. I am NOT a hillbilly. Neither are any of my friends of family members. I am bisexual. I am ashamed of my state right now–but this is NOT the action of a majority, this is the action of bigoted, homophobic republican Christians who are disguising an immoral bill under the name of “stop school bullying”. Well, it’s bullshit. And I am going to do everything I can to rectify injustice…and I don’t live there anymore!
Peace and love and equality to all,
Chloé