A proposed law that would seek to stop discrimination for LGBTQ people is seeing a new wave of support. Business groups say sexual orientation and gender identification should be considered protected classes in Ohio.
A coalition of hundreds of businesses is calling on lawmakers to pass the bill. They鈥檙e backed by chambers of commerce around the state.
Holly Gross with the Columbus Chamber says the bill would protect civil rights with an added bonus of bringing economic benefits, making Ohio more competitive at attracting businesses who see these laws as forward thinking.
鈥淚t鈥檚 also a tool for businesses large and small at attracting and retaining the best and brightest that鈥檚 what we heard over and over again businesses have consistently told us that having a diverse and inclusive workforce has benefits to them it helps their bottom line,鈥� said Gross.
Sandy Anderson with Equality Ohio says these laws are imperative for LGBTQ people. She uses the example of going to Washington in 2014 to marry her wife then returning to Ohio.
鈥淲hat people find surprising in many states including Ohio that in Ohio we still don鈥檛 have legal protections for LGBTQ citizens in housing, employment and public accommodations and what that means is that a person can be married, post their pictures on Facebook, as we did, come back to their home state and be fired from their job, be denied housing, be denied service in a restaurant or store, bakery what have you. And that鈥檚 just not right,鈥� Anderson explained.
Aaron Baer is with Citizens for Community Values. His conservative group is against the bill, calling it a sweeping form of legislation that would create many unintended consequences. One of Baer鈥檚 main arguments is that Ohio doesn鈥檛 have a major problem with discrimination against sexual orientation or gender identity.
鈥淭he question is do we need a government policy an overreaching government policy that has strict penalties that鈥檚 vague in its nature to deal with this and I would say the answer is no and I think really what shows that we don鈥檛 have a problem with discrimination is the fact that we have so many businesses stepping up and saying they don鈥檛 discriminate in their hiring practices we have the Columbus Chamber here we have the Ohio Chamber that has endorsed this bill, these are the most powerful institutions in our state that are stepping forward and saying we don鈥檛 discriminate,鈥� Baer said.
Anderson responded, 鈥淟et me provide some information that will help answer this question on whether there鈥檚 a problem to be solved and the bottom line is of course there is a problem to be solved so here鈥檚 some information that might help. First of all, everyday certainly every week Equality Ohio our staff receive phone calls from people all around the state who are suffering discrimination because they are LGBTQ.鈥�
Holly Gross with the Columbus Chamber chimed in on how this affects business.
鈥淔rom a talent, attraction and retention standpoint a business does have trouble attracting LBGTQ individuals, retaining and recruiting them if they can have a job but they may be in danger of losing their home or in danger of being discriminated in public accommodations. Businesses want employees to be able to live their best lives but that鈥檚 just not possible without these protections in place,鈥� said Gross.
Baer fears that there are business owners who would be denied freedom of religion and speech if their decisions affected a customer or employee in a way that contradicted these proposed anti-discrimination laws.
鈥淭o tell those few people that you鈥檙e going to lose your job if you speak out on these issues, if you share your opinion that鈥檚 the opposite of pluralism that鈥檚 the opposite of us living together that鈥檚 saying if you disagree you鈥檙e going to be punished and we see those things happening,鈥� said Baer.
鈥淚 would say laws that were intended to shield religious liberties are now being used as a sword against anti-discrimination policies,鈥� Gross responded.
The bill has had two hearings in the House which included testimony from several business groups. While it does seem to be picking up more support it鈥檚 unlikely the bill will see a committee vote before the House leaves for summer break.
