News (USA)

La. lawmaker pulls LGBT workplace protections bill due to lack of votes

La. lawmaker pulls LGBT workplace protections bill due to lack of votes

BATON ROUGE, La. — An effort to prohibit Louisiana employers from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity has been shelved for the legislative session.

Louisiana-flagRep. Karen St. Germain, a Democrat from Pierre Part, La., told the House civil law committee Tuesday that she wouldn’t push the bill because she doesn’t have the votes for passage.

Before pulling the bill, the committee heard from supporters of the proposal who argued it would make people want to stay in Louisiana and with their employers. They say people shouldn’t be fired for being gay.

Opposition for the measure came from business organizations and conservative groups. But they didn’t testify before the committee because St. Germain pulled the bill.

St. Germain says she’ll return with the proposal next year.

Last week, the Louisiana House overwhelmingly rejected a repeal of the state’s unconstitutional anti-sodomy law, and last month rejected a bill that would have prohibited housing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

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