Info Please Read

Comprehensive State Workforce Non-Discrimination Legislation Introduced (Richmond, January 20) - Today, Equality Virginia applauded the introduction of comprehensive legislation by Senators Mamie Locke and Louise Lucas to prohibit workplace discrimination for all state, local and public school employees on the basis race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation or disability. On his first day in office, Governor Tim Kaine issued Executive Order 1, to prohibit discrimination for these groups. The legislation introduced today will make permanent that policy, fulfilling Equality Virginia's mission to seek equality for all Virginians. "We will look forward to helping ensure that all that choose to serve to serve their communities and their state will be free from any type of discrimination at work," said Dyana Mason, Equality Virginia Executive Director. "It's good for the employees, and even better for the state to treat all its employees, and those seeking jobs, equally." The bill, yet to have a number, was introduced during the year in which a so-called "Marriage Amendment" is before both houses of the legislature to enshrine discrimination against all unmarried couples, gay and straight, in the Virginia Constitution's Bill of Rights. Senator Lucas' and Locke's bill was a sharp contrast to the debate thus far this session, highlighting fairness over fear and division. "With 87% of Virginians supporting the right of gay men and lesbians to be free from workplace discrimination, 90% saying that gay and lesbian Virginians have a right to work for the government, and 75% favoring nondiscrimination for teachers, this policy makes good sense," said Mason. "In order for government to compete with Virginia's and the nation's top employers, fairness in the workplace is critical to recruit and retain the best candidates for the job." Currently, 60 Delegates and 24 Senators, Governor Kaine, former Attorney General Jerry Kilgore and Senators John Warner and George Allen have signed pledges or issued statements saying that sexual orientation is not a factor in hiring decisions for their legislative offices. In addition, eight of the top ten employers in the state have policies protecting their employees based on sexual orientation. List of Virginia Elected Officials Who Have Pledged to Not Discriminate in their Offices Based on Sexual Orientation Senator John Warner (R) Senator George Allen (R) Rep. Jim Moran (D) Rep. Thelma Drake (R) Rep. Bobby Scott (D) Governor Tim Kaine (D) Former Attorney General Jerry Kilgore (R) Virginia Senators John H. Chichester 28 (R) Charles J. Colgan 29 (D) R. Creigh Deeds 25 (D) Jeannemarie Devolites Davis 34 (R) John S. Edwards 21 (D) R. Edward Houck 17 (D) Janet D. Howell 32 (D) Benjamin J. Lambert, III 9 (D) Mamie E. Locke 40 (D) L. Louise Lucas 18 (D) Henry L. Marsh, III 16 (D) Stephen H. Martin 11 (R) Yvonne B. Miller 5 (D) Thomas K. Norment, Jr. 3 (R) H. Russell Potts 27 (R) Phillip P. Puckett 38 (D) Toddy Puller 36 (D) Wm. Roscoe Reynolds 20 (D) Richard L. Saslaw 35 (D) Kenneth W. Stolle 8 (R) Patricia S. Ticer 30 (D) Frank W. Wagner 7 (R) John Watkins 10 (R) Mary Margaret Whipple 31 (D) Virginia Delegates Dave Albo 42 (R) Kenny Alexander 89 (D) Kris Amundson 44 (D) Ward Armstrong 10 (D) Mamye BaCote 95 (D) William Barlow 64 (D) Bob Brink 48 (D) David Bulova 37 (D) Vince Callahan 34 (R) Chuck Caputo 67 (D) Charles Carrico 5 (R) Rosalyn Dance 63 (D) Adam Ebbin 49 (D) Al Eisenberg 47 (D) David Englin 45 (D) Jeff Frederick 52 (R) Morgan Griffith 8 (R) Frank Hall 69 (D) Phillip Hamilton 93 (R) Frank Hargrove 55 (R) Algie Howell 90 (D) William Howell 28 (R) Bob Hull 38 (D) Johnny Joannou 79 (D) Joseph Johnson 4 (D) Dwight Jones 70 (D) Steven Landes 25 (R) Lynwood Lewis 100 (D) David Marsden 41 (D) Daniel Marshall 14 (R) Jennifer McClellan 71 (D) Donald McEachin 74 (D) Michelle McQuigg 51 (R) Kenneth Melvin 80 (D) Paula Miller 87 (D) Brian Moran 46 (D) Harvey Morgan 98 (R) John O'Bannon 73 (R) Bobby Orrock 54 (R) Harry Parrish 50 (R) Ken Plum 36 (D) David Poisson 32 (D) Harry Purkey 82 (R) Tom Rust 86 (R) Jim Scott 53 (D) Edward Scott 30 (R) Steve Shannon 35 (D) James Shuler 12 (D) Mark Sickles 43 (D) Lionell Spruill 77 (D) Terrie Suit 81 (R) Robert Tata 85 (R) David Toscano 57 (D) Roslyn Tyler 75 (D) Shannon Valentine 23 (D) Katherine Waddell 68 (I) Jeion Ward 92 (D) Leo Wardrup 83 (R) Onzlee Ware 11 (D) Vivian Watts 39 (D) Of the top ten largest private employers in the Commonwealth, at least eight have sexual orientation protections in their non-discrimination policies: Wal-Mart (#1) Northrop Grumman Newport News (#2) Food Lion (#3) Inova Fairfax Hospital (#5) Capital One Bank (#6) Science Applications International (SAIC) (#7) Booz Allen Hamilton (#8) 7-Eleven (#10) Virginia Universities and Colleges That Include Sexual Orientation in their Non-Discrimination Policies College of William and Mary University of Richmond Virginia Commonwealth University Old Dominion University Virginia Tech Washington and Lee University Radford University Hollins University University of Mary Washington George Mason University Randolph Macon College University of Virginia

that list of senators is absolutely rediculous I just kept scrolling.....how sad

Very informative. Thanks! Rosa