Washington House Bill 2661
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Washington House Bill 2661 is a Washington state law which bans employment, insurance and housing discrimination against LGBT individuals, passed by the Washington State Legislature on January 27, 2006, and signed into law by Governor Christine Gregoire four days later. The bill went into effect on June 8, 2006.[1]
Summary
[edit]- Expands the jurisdiction of the human rights commission to include sexual orientation and gender expression or identity as a basis for prohibiting discrimination.
- Adds definitions for sexual orientation and gender expression or identity to Washington's Law Against Discrimination.
- Exempts from Washington's Law Against Discrimination those real estate transactions that include the sharing, rental, or sublease of a dwelling unit when the dwelling unit is to be occupied by the owner or sublessor.
History and Prior Legislation
[edit]Employment discrimination based on sexual orientation in state agencies and higher education institutions was previously prohibited by executive orders issued by Governor Booth Gardner[2]: 10 in 1985[3] and again in 1991.[4] House Bill 2661 extended employment discrimination protections to both public and private sectors.
Multiple "gay rights" bills had been proposed in Washington State, starting in 1977,[5] and this bill was considered "long-awaited".[6] Washington State politician Cal Anderson proposed a bill extending discrimination protections to LGBTQ people every year he was a legislator, from 1987 until his death in 1995.[5] One of Anderson's sexual orientation anti-discrimination bills passed in the House in 1994, but failed to pass in the Senate by a single vote.[2]: 9
See also
[edit]- Equal Rights Washington - key organization that pushed for its passage
- List of US ballot initiatives to repeal LGBT anti-discrimination laws
References
[edit]- ^ Official Washington State Legislature Bill Information
- ^ a b Sears, Brad (September 2009). "Washington – Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Documentation of Discrimination". eScholarship.org. Documenting Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in State Employment. The Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
- ^ "Executive Order 85-09" (PDF). Office of the Governor of Washington State. State of Washington. 1985. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ^ "Executive Order 91-06" (PDF). Office of the Governor of Washington State. State of Washington. 1991. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 April 2025. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ^ a b Oldham, Kit (1 February 2006). "Governor Christine Gregoire signs bill extending civil rights laws to gays and lesbians on January 31, 2006". HistoryLink.org. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ Mcgann, Chris (27 Jan 2006). "A long-awaited win for gay rights: Senate OKs state anti-bias bill". Seattle PI. Hearst Newspapers, LLC. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
External links
[edit]- Washington State House Bill 2661 as passed legislature (PDF)
- Legislative History of Washington State House Bill 2661
- Washington State House Bill 2661 Fiscal Notes
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