Ohio lawmaker pushes LGBTQ anti-discrimination bill

While same-sex couples are legally allowed to marry, they can be fired from a job or kicked out of an apartment based on their sexual orientation in Ohio.

State Sen. Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, is planning to change that.

Antonio, who is gay, announced that she will re-introduce the “Ohio Fairness Act” to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing or public accommodations.

It’ll be the fifth time she has carried the bill and the ninth time it’s been introduced in the Ohio General Assembly since 2003.

Despite its repeated introductions in the Ohio Statehouse, the bill has failed to gain traction.

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In June 2015 in a case originating in Ohio, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the right for same-sex couples to marry is constitutionally guaranteed.

Antonio said that once again the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Manufacturers Association and other businesses are supporting the Ohio Fairness Act.

“Employers know these policies are good for business and create opportunity for communities, businesses and workers which can further Ohio as a serious contender in the global economy,” she said in a written release.

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