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FL Lawmakers File LGBT Protection Package

Ted Eytan via Flickr
Credit Ted Eytan via Flickr

Florida lawmakers want to add protections in state law for the lesbian gay bisexual and transgender community. 

The measure would establish sexual orientation and gender as protected categories in Florida’s civil rights statutes.  Those safeguards would extend to employment, housing and public accommodations.  Rep. Ben Diamond (D-St. Petersburg) is optimistic about its chances.

“Given the fact that there’s broad public support,” he says, “that the business community is pushing for this, and we have many new members in the Legislature who are looking for ideas that will help our economy, I’m very hopeful that we’re going to get the comprehensive bill passed.”

He’s sponsoring the measure in the House along with Rep. Rene Plasencia (R-Orlando).  Sen. Jeff Clemens (D-Lake Worth) is carrying the proposal in the Senate, where a similar measure died last year.

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Nick Evans came to Tallahassee to pursue a masters in communications at Florida State University. He graduated in 2014, but not before picking up an internship at WFSU. While he worked on his degree Nick moved from intern, to part-timer, to full-time reporter. Before moving to Tallahassee, Nick lived in and around the San Francisco Bay Area for 15 years. He listens to far too many podcasts and is a die-hard 49ers football fan. When Nick’s not at work he likes to cook, play music and read.