FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2, 2017
CONTACT: ACLU of Florida Media Office, media@aclufl.org, (786) 363-2737
TALLAHASSEE, FL — The Florida Competitive Workforce Act, legislation to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations in Florida, has been introduced in both the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate (HB 623, SB 666). The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida supports the legislation.
Responding to today’s filing of the Competitive Workforce Act, ACLU of Florida staff attorney Daniel Tilley, whose work focuses on LGBT rights, stated:
“We are very pleased that this comprehensive non-discrimination bill has been filed for the 2017 legislative session. The ACLU of Florida urges legislators to support the Florida Competitive Workforce Act, because it would provide long-overdue protections to LGBT Floridians.
“Although Florida is the third-largest state in the nation, it is one of the decreasing number of states that fail to offer explicit, basic protections to LGBT people in the areas of employment, housing, and public accommodations. All Floridians deserve a fair chance to live, work, and provide for their families without fear of being discriminated against simply because of who they are. Our families and our State deserve better. It’s time for Florida to update its laws to protect LGBT people from discrimination.”
The language of the bill is available here: http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2017/623
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