(Tallahassee, Florida) Legislation that would prohibit anti-gay discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations has been introduced in the Florida legislature.

Currently, the Florida Civil Rights Act protects against discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status The Deutch/Skidmore Civil Rights Bill would add "sexual orientation" and "familial status" as additional protected classes.

Florida's Fair Housing Act currently protects against discrimination in housing and public accommodations based on race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, familial status, or religion.
The legislation, introduced in the Senate by Ted Deutch (D-Boca Raton) and in the House by Kelly Skidmore (D-Boca Raton) would add "sexual orientation" and "marital status" as additional protected classes.

"All of Florida's civil rights laws should be consistent," said Palm Beach County Human Rights Council President Rand Hoch. The council had lobbied for introduction of the bills.
"Discrimination based on sexual orientation, marital status and familial status in employment, housing and public accommodations should be prohibited statewide."

In Florida, local laws prohibiting discrimination against gay men and lesbians in employment and/or housing exist in 17 local jurisdictions, including Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties, and the cites of Key West, Miami Beach, Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Wilton Manors.

In a meeting with the Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation Council Vice President Deidre Newton asked the legislators to co-sponsor the rights bills.

"Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, Florida is not one of them....yet," said Newton .
Last week the council called on Gov. Charlie Crist (R) to issue an executive order prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in state employment. ( story)

In May, 2006, the Gallup organization asked 1,002 randomly selected adults aged 18 and above whether gay men and lesbians should have "equal rights in terms of job opportunities." 89 percent of Americans favored equal employment rights. Only 9 percent disagreed.

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