Thank You, Dan Stewart and Ross McGregor

You are friends, indeed. Have a look HERE to see what's brewing up in Ohio regarding same-sex rights. The two gentlemen in the title are sponsors of a HB 176, the Equal Employment and Housing Act, which seeks to make it against the law to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

Excerpt from the Do What's Right Ohio website:

From Equality Ohio Director Lynne Bowman:

"It is time for Ohio to remove the barriers at our borders that tells them they are not welcome if they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered," Bowman said. "It's time for our laws to match our values."

Only two Republicans - Ross McGregor of Springfield and Terry Blair of Washington Twp. - have signed on as co-sponsors. McGregor promised that after it passes the House, he will work for its passage in the GOP-controlled Senate.

The bill is supported by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, which would investigate violations and enforce the law. Ohio law already prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, religion, ancestry, national origin or disability.

Twenty states have adopted laws to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation and 433 of the Fortune 500 companies, 11 of Ohio's 13 public universities, 16 Ohio cities and the General Assembly have established similar workplace rules.

Bowman said statewide surveys conducted in 2006 and 2009 show support for anti-discrimination legislation grew from 66 percent to 72 percent among Ohioans.