Apr 10, 2013
NC Lawmakers Introduce State Employee and Teacher Nondiscrimination Bill
Rep. Cotham announced on her Facebook page on April 9, "Today, I filed House Bill 647 which seeks to ban discrimination in employment for teachers. The bill says that local school boards cannot discriminate because of sexual orientation."
Representatives Tricia Cotham (D-Mecklenburg), Marcus Brandon (D-Guilford), Susi Hamilton (D-Brunswick, New Hanover), and Darren Jackson (D-Wake) on Tuesday introduced House Bill 647, Nondiscrimination in State/Teacher Employment.
The legislation is intended to amend the State Personnel Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression to the list of classifications covered by the state's equal employment opportunity law. The bill also requires local boards of education to adopt policies for nondiscrimination in employment, including sexual orientation and gender identity or expression among the covered classifications.
House Bill 647 compliments a bill introduced earlier in March (House Bill 429/ Senate Bill 544), which extends similar protections to state employees.
The bills will be the focus of Equality NC’s upcoming LOBBY DAY of Action, April 16.
“We know that in North Carolina today, decent, hardworking people can be fired simply because of who they are or who they love,” said Stuart Campbell, executive director of Equality NC. “We applaud this additional effort to protect our state’s most vulnerable public employees.”
Campbell added, “On April 16, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied constituents from all corners of the state will come together in Raleigh with one goal in mind: to be a visible representation of the North Carolina lives impacted, and families harmed, by the threat of employment discrimination, including harassment, mistreatment, and termination.”
Campbell said, “Through this day of action, Equality NC will not only stand with legislators willing to protect our state employees and teachers, but also mobilize hundreds of community, campus, faith and business leaders who are ready to work for equality in employment and beyond.”