USA: 2009 Saw 50 Positive LGBT Bills Passed, and Only 4 Negative Bills

The number of pro-LGBT bills passed at state levels in 2009 totaled more than those passed in 2007 and 2008 combined. That, according to a report from the Human Rights Campaign, marks great progress despite a year wherein community members felt stinging defeats. At the same time HRC was releasing its annual rankings of LGBT-friendly companies, the national organization also unveiled its “Equality State by State,” a report of legislative actions across the country written by HRC State Legislative Director Sara Warbelow.

Overall, the LGBT community saw success on state-level legislation. A total of 332 pro-LGBT bills were introduced and 50 were passed. Only 69 negative pieces of legislation were introduced. Of those, only four passed.

Despite a setback in Maine, when voters chose to overturn their state legislature’s decision to offer marriage to all couples, other states and jurisdictions moved forward on marriage. On April 7, 2009, Vermont passed legislation opening marriage to all couples. New Hampshire decided to join Vermont on June 3, 2009. Their law went into effect on Jan. 1, 2010. And, on Dec. 18, 2009, the Washington, D.C. City Council passed legislation extending marriage rights there. In April, Iowa’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of a gay couple seeking a marriage license there.

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USA: HRC Releases New State by State Report on LGBT Legislative Action in 2009

The comprehensive state-by-state report provides a complete summary of all the state legislation introduced and passed in 2009 that affected lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families. The report indicates that despite disappointments in 2009, it was a banner year for positive legislation affecting the LGBT community, with as many positive bills passed this past year as in 2007 and 2008 combined. The report also details expectations for 2010.

Download the Report from HRC Here
Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

HRC Releases iPhone App for Gay Friendly Buying

RC has released a first of its kind, free iPhone application for its “Buying for Equality” guide. The app allows shoppers to access the Buying for Equality guide as they enter a store to see how gay-friendly hundreds of brands are. The iPhone application is available for download at www.hrc.org/iPhone. Both Apple, and the iPhone’s exclusive service provider, AT&T, score 100% on the 2010 Corporate Equality Index. From HRC: The Buying for Equality iPhone application puts information directly in the hands of consumers in an easy to read format that divides businesses and their consumer products into red (brands to avoid), yellow (brands that have made some progress) and green (brands to support) categories to help consumers support businesses that support LGBT equality. Full Story from 365Gay: http://www.365gay.com/uncategorized/hrc-iphone-app-helps-you-buy-gay-friendly/

Click here for gay marriage resources.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

NOM vs. HRC Fight Plays Out in NY Race

By now, you probably know about the special election in New York's 23rd congressional district. Republican John M. McHugh has held this seat since 2003. He resigned on September 21, 2009 to become United States Secretary of the Army. This seat represents about 650,000 hard working, mostly blue collar, solidly Republican folks on New York's Canadian border. The median income is about $35,000. The local Republican Party nominated Dede Scozzafava who is a socially liberal fiscal conservative. That is a creature well known in New York politics. Well, that didn't sit well with the Christian Conservatives so they came up with an anti-choice, anti-gay marriage candidate, Doug Hoffman, to run as a Conservative. This has brought a wide assortment of wingnuts to this rural area. These include Sarah Palin, The Susan B. Anthony People, Catholics for America, Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum, Phyllis' embalmer, Fred Thompson, Dick Armey, Marilyn Musgrave and the Club for Growth. Actually, the Club for Growth is among the largest donors to Hoffman's campaign. Given that they are a group of very rich people trying to prevent very rich people from paying their fair share of taxes, they have the challenge of getting these good folk to vote against their own economic interests. National Organization for Marriage was among the earliest detractors of Scozzafava and one of the earliest supporters of Hoffman. In an email last week they claimed to have spent $150,000 on this campaign. Either Brian Brown is lying – again – or they haven't reported the expenditure. On the other hand, the Human Rights Campaign PAC has donated $4,000 to Scozzafava. Full Story from Tips-Q: http://www.tips-q.com/1531178-ny-23rd-cd-saga-nom-v-hrc

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in New York.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.