email alert from VA Homosexual group about 3 bills (BARF ALERT)

[Gopher Broke]

There are three bills pending in the Virginia Senate that are on Equality Virginia's positive legislative agenda for this year that are scheduled for a vote in the full Senate this week. Please take a minute right now to let your Virginia Senator know that you support this important legislation:

SB 747 (McEachin) would codify protections against discrimination for all state employees (including college faculty), including protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

SB 1121 (Herring, McEachin) would change state law to allow local governments the freedom to establish personnel policies and procedures and to offer benefits plans needed to be competitive in the market to hire and retain employees. This bill does not mandate any changes but simply opens the door for locally elected officials to make HR policy that conforms to local community needs and markets.

SB 1122 (McEachin) would change state law to allow, but not require, the state government to offer group health and life insurance consistent with plans offered by private employers. Because of the state constitutional amendment banning recognition of relationships other than marriage, this bill would NOT allow domestic partner benefits. However, it would allow the state department of human resources to consider offering benefits to otherwise qualified adults in an employee's household, along the lines of proposed regulations offered late in 2009.

Find out who your senator is here.

Votes on these three bills can occur as early as noon TODAY (Monday), January 31, 2011.

Please call, fax or email your Virginia Senator right now!

To make a contribution to support our direct lobbying work, click here.

Thanks!

Equality Virginia

[deks]

SB 747 Nondiscrimination in state employment; . . .

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?111+sum+SB747

SB 1121 Local government; establishment and administration of personnel system. . . .

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?111+sum+SB1121

SB 1122 State employees; health insurance benefits. . . .

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?111+sum+SB1122

Senate Of Virginia - Telephone List ...

http://sov.state.va.us/SenatorDB.nsf/$$Viewtemplate%20for%20WTelephoneList?OpenForm

[deks]

All three bills have been passed out of committee to the Senate. The full text is available at the links above.

Re: Equality Virginia, from the following link...

Every year, Equality Virginia monitors all legislation introduced to the Virginia General Assembly and advocates on behalf of Virginia’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. We work to introduce and support gay-friendly legislation and to oppose and defeat anti-gay bills.

http://www.equalityvirginia.org/