Support the "Freedom from Workplace Discrimination Act" - statewide petition

Sign this petition and notify:
Equality Texas (if you live in Texas)

The Honorable Burt R. Solomons
Chair, House Committee on State Affairs
P O Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768

Dear Chairman Solomons:

I am writing to encourage you to schedule a public hearing in the House Committee on State Affairs for HB 538, "The Freedom from Workplace Discrimination Act" by Representative Villarreal.

This bill gives lawmakers the opportunity to ensure that individuals who work hard and play by the rules are not treated unfairly. This bill would help to ensure that employees are valued in the workplace for their skills and contributions, and not discriminated against because of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

HB 538 would prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. It expands Texas' existing labor laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin, or age.

Twenty (20) states, as well as the District of Columbia, in some capacity prohibit discrimination against individuals based on sexual orientation. In most of these states, the prohibition applies to all employees in the state, and twelve (12) of those states extend that protection to include gender identity.

Additionally, 85% of Fortune 500 Companies have implemented nondiscrimination policies that include sexual orientation, and more than one-third include gender identity/expression.

In Texas, five cities (Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and El Paso) have varying degrees of prohibitions against employer discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and three of these (Austin, Dallas, and El Paso) also prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

I respectfully urge you to schedule a public hearing on HB 538 in the House Committee on State Affairs.

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What's At Stake:

Sign this Petition!
End Workplace Discrimination!

Equality Texas is joining with State Representative Mike Villarreal (D-San Antonio) in his efforts to secure a public hearing for his bill, HB 538 - "The Freedom from Workplace Discrimination Act".

Please sign this petition in support of the bill and calling for a public hearing in the House Committee on State Affairs.

All the petitions will be delivered by Rep. Villarreal to the Honorable Burt Solomons, Chair of the House Committee on State Affairs. 

UPDATE: Our original petition drive ended on March 31, 2009, and we delivered over 2,000 petitions to Rep. Villarreal in support of his bill.  We are re-opening the petition drive on April 15th in our continued effort to secure a public hearing on this bill.

If you have not yet signed the petition, please do so.

If you have already signed the petition, please use the Tell-a-Friend feature to ask others to sign.

Please sign it now. YOU make equality happen.

Campaign Expiration Date:
May 7, 2009