GOP Controlled Committee Kills Bill to Prohibit Discrimination Against Gays

The last hope for work place protections for LGBT Virginians employed by state agencies and departments died this evening with a vote by the Republican-controlled House General Laws subcommittee. While I could not attend the hearing before the committee, I did submit evidence through Equality Virginia for consideration by subcommittee members. It saddens me greatly that for at least another year LGBT Virginians can be fired at will by the state itself under Virginia's bigoted laws. No doubt Victoria Cobb and her fellow hate merchants at The Family Foundation had an orgasm when they learned of the results of the vote. With ENDA dead in Congress for the foreseeable future, lawsuits based on federal equal protection and related arguments are the only option for those unfortunate enough to live in Virginia and work for state agencies. My best advice to LGBT Virginians, of course, is to leave Virginia if at all possible. The Virginian Pilot has these brief highlights:
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A House subcommittee has killed a bill to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in state hiring. Democratic Sen. Donald McEachin's bill passed out of the Senate last week, but was killed by a Republican-controlled House General Laws subcommittee Tuesday.
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The panel also killed another McEachin proposal that would have allowed the State Department of Human Resources to examine extending health benefits to same-sex partners.
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Gov. Bob McDonnell became the first governor in years to omit gays from an executive order banning workplace discrimination last year. He later said he would not tolerate any discrimination in state government. Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has declared that there is no legal grounds for protecting gays until the General Assembly enacts such a law.
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Seriously, in the eyes of Virginia Republicans farm animals and household pets hold a higher place under the law than LGBT citizens.