EHEA Introduced in OHIO House

On September 27, Ohio State Representatives Ross McGregor and Nickie Antonio will introduce EHEA in the House. EHEA prohibits discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Check the event out on facebook!

Posteed by Equality Ohio. Reposted at keystothecloset.blogspot.com

For the Freedom to Live, Work, and Play Rally

Join Equality Ohio on September 27 at 1:30pm for a rally, press conference, and Lobby Day at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus to support the Equal Housing and Employment Act (EHEA). Your representatives and the people of Ohio need to know that there is broad support for this bill, and your participation is very important!

Contact Equality Ohio at 61 Jefferson Ave. Columbus, OH 43215 614.224.0400

Local Action Team Trainings for Lobby Day for Equality 2011

Sixth Annual
Lobby Day for Equality
is May 18, 2011
 
Make your voice heard at the Statehouse. Over forty new legislators need to hear your story!
Register here.

Local Action Team Leaders and Members needed - Equality Ohio's Local Action Teams' goal is to expand our education efforts, create better relationships between LGBT and allied people and their communities, media and officials, and create a better educated body of media representatives and elected officials in Ohio who will support equality for all their constituents. (Click here for more on this program). Since the inception of our Local Action Team Program, the team from Senate District 6 in 2009 was successful in gaining the support of Rep. Terry Blair (R) and then Rep. Peggy Lehner for EHEA. Work from citizen lobbyists like yourselves in Findlay, Ohio helped secure the support of then Rep. Cliff Hite and the on-going support of Rep. Ross McGregor is the work of the team out of Springfield, Ohio.

To pass pro-equality legislation, we have to engage legislators from both major parties and hearing one-on-one from their own constituents is the most effective way to educate our legislators. Where we have strong teams and a dedicated leader, the Local Action Team's are very successful. We still need leaders and teams from parts of the state, however. We still need volunteers from Senate District 5 (Miami and parts of Darke and Montgomery Counties), Senate District 7 (Warren and eastern Hamilton Counties), Senate District 12 (Allen, Mercer, Shelby, Champaign, Prebel and parts of Darke Counties), Senate District 14 (Clermont, Brown, Adams, Scioto and the western part of Lawrence Counties), Senate District 17 (Western Pickaway, Fayette, Clinton, Ross, Vinton, Highland, Pike, Jackson, Gallia and Eastern Lawrence), Senate District 19 (Richland, Morrow, Delaware and Knox Counties), Senate District 23 (West Cleveland area), Senate District 25 (far east Cleveland Area), Senate District 26 (Sandusky, Seneca, Wyandot, Crawford, Marion, Logan and Union Counties), Senate District 28 (Portage and parts of southeast Summit Counties), Senate District 30 (Columbiana, most of Tuscarawas, Harrison, Jefferson and Belmont Counties), Senate District 32 (Ashtabula and Trumbell Counties) and Senate District 33 (Mahoning, far eastern Stark, Carroll and far northeastern Tuscarawas Counties). Want to make a difference? Consider being a Local Action Team Leader.

Contact kim@equalityohio.org for more information.

Join us for a Local Action Team Training and get information about the EHEA, the Comprehensive Safe Schools Act (CSSA) and other legislative priorities for this year, learn what progress has been made in the past year with your legislator, and practice and prepare with others from your area in advance of meeting with your representative.

Reposted at keystothecloset.blogspot.com

McGregor & Antonio to Introduce EHEA in Ohio House

Representatives Ross McGregor (R - Springfield) and Nickie Antonio (D - Lakewood) to reintroduce EHEA in Ohio House - The Equal Housing and Employment Act (EHEA), which would prohibit discrimination in housing and employment on the basis of sexual orientation, is expected to be introduced in the House by Reps. Ross McGregor (R) and Nickie Antonio (D).  Equality Ohio met recently with Reps. McGregor and Antonio, and we will be working closely with them on navigating the bill through the current General Assembly.  Last year, EHEA was the first pro-equality bill to pass any chamber of the Ohio General Assembly, but it stalled in the State Senate.  We have established a base of support for EHEA in both the House and Senate, but it is extremely important for our community to mobilize in support of this bill to broaden its support.  Lobby Day on May 18th is an important opportunity for you to talk to your representatives about this and other pro-equality legislation, and we hope that you will join us then.  We also ask that you reach out to friends and family who live in areas where the current legislators are not supportive of EHEA so that they understand their constituents support it.  In the coming months, we will specifically identify those representatives who we believe are potential supporters and do targeted outreach in those communities.  Click here to read a recent article about EHEA. Source: Equality Ohio Newsletter