EdgeBoston.com – Edge Boston Contributor
The Vermont State House of Representatives voted May 2 to widen the scope of state anti-discrimination laws to include gender identity.
The vote, which at 118-28 passed the legislation by an overwhelming margin, enjoyed strong support from both sides of the aisle, with favorable votes from 22 Republicans. The house vote mirrored the earlier passage of similar legislation in the Senate, which approved its own version of employment, housing, public accommodation, insurance and credit protections for transgender residents of the state. The Senate vote passed the bill with a margin of 27-1.
“Republican and Democratic legislators in Vermont have taken an important action to advance the cause of equality for all Vermonters,” Joe Solmonese,Human Rights Campaign president, said in a statement. “Once this bill becomes law, transgender Vermonters will be more secure in the knowledge that they are equally protected from discrimination under state law.”