DE Anti-bias Bill Could See a Vote.

We here in the first state seldom make national news, but this has been picked up by a few progressive and LGBT blogs. I had the honor of working on Pete's first campaign. And now he's the Majority Leader. Make me proud, Pete.

Delaware Online:

DOVER -- The decade-old battle to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation began anew Tuesday with the introduction of legislation in the state House.

And this year, with the Senate's famous desk-drawer veto now apparently out of play, the bill's chances of reaching the governor's desk seem brighter than in years past.

House Bill 5, sponsored by Majority Leader Peter Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, employment, public works contracting, public accommodations and insurance.

"This legislation is long overdue. This is the fifth time it has been introduced in the past nine years and we have passed it in the House three times," Schwartzkopf said in a statement. "This is 2009. If the past several months have taught us anything, it's that Americans are much more tolerant and accepting of others now than ever before."

"End of story. That's it," he said in a subsequent interview. "It's not a special-rights bill. It doesn't have anything to do with gay marriage, it has nothing to do with civil unions. The bottom line is, people shouldn't be discriminated against."

Delaware already prohibits discrimination based on age, religion, gender, race, marital status and physical handicap. HB 5 would add sexual orientation to that list.

The bill would not cover religious corporations, associations or societies, even if they receive government funds. And it would not require employers to offer health insurance, pension or other benefits to same-sex couples.

The Senate has always been a dead-end for similar bills, even though it is controlled by Democrats and then-Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, a Democrat, made it a legislative priority. The bills have all died in the Senate without a floor vote.

But this year, the Senate has changed its rules to eliminate the desk-drawer veto, which gave Senate committee chairs the ability to bury a bill.

Go and read the whole thing. It's a bit long, but it's been long in coming, too.

More later.
*