Democrats broadened their push Thursday to protect the state's residents from discrimination as part of a first-of-its-kind statewide civil rights law in Georgia.
That includes the filing of companion legislation in the state House to the existing Senate Bill 119, which state Sen. Lester Jackson, D-Savannah, filed last week. They've also gotten the backing of advocacy groups including Georgia Equality, an organization that advocates for the LGBTQ community, and the ACLU of Georgia, whose executive director, Andrea Young, who urged consideration of the bill because "all Georgians deserve equal protection under the law -- no matter who they are, what they look like, how they pray or who they love."
A similar effort last year by a bipartisan group in the state House failed to gain traction, and this year's push is largely seen as symbolic. Republicans hold a majority in the state Legislature, and have instead backed "religious liberty" legislation to prevent discrimination against faith-based organizations including those opposed to same-sex marriage.
Still, the push for civil rights legislation "provides a way for us to have a better conversation about how civil rights is inclusive of LGBTQ+ rights," said state Rep. Park Cannon, D-Atlanta, one of four openly gay lawmakers at the Capitol -- the most of any legislature in the South and among the largest contingents in legislative assemblies across the nation.
The legislation would make Georgia law mirror federal statutes to protect Georgians against discrimination in hotels, restaurants, theaters and other public accommodations based on race, color, religion, natural origin or sex -- plus sexual orientation and gender identity.
It would also explicitly bar discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in transactions such as when buying a house or seeking a job.
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