Article archive / April 1, 2016
Originally published: . Volume 7, No. 4. Source pages: 5.
SB 332 by Sen. Morrell Would Add Gender Identity to Employment Discrimination Protections
Senator J.P. Morrell has offered Senate Bill 332 which adds sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in provisions prohibiting discrimination.
The proposal adds definitions for purposes of the Louisiana Employment Discrimination Law. The proposed law defines “sexual orientation” as an individual’s actual or perceived heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality. The proposed law defines “gender identity or expression” as a gender- related identity, appearance, expression, or behavior of a person regardless of the person’s assigned sex at birth.
The present law authorizes the attorney general to institute civil proceedings to annul the articles of incorporation when a business or its officer engages in certain acts. The proposed law keeps much of present law but removes references to homosexuality. The proposal is currently pending in Senate Judiciary B. Senator Morrell has also submitted a bill for providing education programs in juvenile justice facilities, which is pending Senate floor debate. SB 303 would be called the ”Educational Accountability and Rehabilitation Act of 2016,” according to the digest. The measure provides for the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of juvenile justice, to develop pupil progression plans for schools under its jurisdiction and to publish the plans on its website. The bill puts forth methods for developing, implementing and measuring programs for juveniles involved in the correction systems.
Requirements for the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to adopt rules to develop specialized accountability for this program is called for, along with a variety of administrative type measures.
Senator J.P. Morrell (R) at an interview in a previous legislative session. He is the new chairman of the Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs, dealing with taxation matters. And he has authored a measure to help stop discrimination due to sexual orientation.
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