Indiana House rejects proposed ban on LGBT employment discrimination

In the first full chamber vote on LGBT issues this year, 59 House Republicans rejected an amendment to Senate Bill 20, proposed by House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, that would have prohibited employers from discriminating in the workplace based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Seven Republicans, including state Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte, joined the 28 Democrats in attendance, including all six from Northwest Indiana, to support the anti-discrimination proposal.

"This shows you how far the public needs to push some of its representatives to bring our laws in line with the attitudes and beliefs of the people," Pelath said.

The four Region lawmakers who voted against LGBT workplace protections were state Reps. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron; Bill Fine, R-Munster; Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point; and Hal Slager, R-Schererville.

State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, was absent.

Aylesworth said he opposed the measure not out of animus toward LGBT Hoosiers, but because it wasn't the right moment to consider the proposal.

"I think that issue deserves a full-fledged House debate, not just an amendment on a bill where you can't really give it the time needed to carry out a thorough, thoughtful debate," Aylesworth said.

Pelath called that reasoning, which was echoed by House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, "just ridiculous."

"This is one of the most widely debated issues in the state of Indiana," Pelath said. "You mean to tell me you don't know what you think?"

Pelath said now that most House Republicans are on record in favor of LGBT discrimination in the workplace, he will continue pushing for votes to learn their stances on LGBT discrimination in housing and service at businesses.

A Senate plan to bar all LGBT discrimination, with exceptions for religious groups, never received a vote after leaders concluded the measure was unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled chamber.