Two days after nearly 200 LGBTQ activists converged in Richmond to advocate for equal rights, House Speaker Kirk Cox has moved five bills related to LGBTQ issues to the House General Laws Subcommittee, a move that Equality Virginia sees as a way to kill the legislation from moving forward this session. A vote in the House General Laws Subcommittee is scheduled for 1 p.m., Thursday.
“We are deeply disappointed that Speaker Cox appears to be playing politics with LGBT people’s basic civil rights by rushing a vote on five pieces of pro-LGBT legislation. Now more than ever, we need our elected officials to not only say they stand with us, but to demonstrate through action that they are with us. Virginia’s brand new House of Delegates has an opportunity to move the Commonwealth forward, and we urge the House to follow the Senate’s lead and send a message that Virginia welcomes all people to live, work, and raise a family. Make no mistake – all eyes are on the Commonwealth tomorrow, and we are prepared to hold our legislators accountable to defending the rights of all Virginians.”
The two laws were passed at the end of last month with bipartisan majorities in both houses were SB 202 (Ebbin) and SB 423 (Wexton). The other three pieces of legislation include HB 401 (Levine), HB 971 (Guzman) and HB 1547 (Simon), SB 202 (Ebbin).
Equality Virginia has set up a page where you can register your opinion with Speaker Cox. Click HERE for more information. Additionally, Equality Virginia is inviting members of the public to show up at the hearing in Richmond tomorrow at 1 p.m. More information can be found HERE.
