"Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday signed a bill that makes it illegal in Colorado to discriminate against gays, bisexuals and transgendered people when buying a home, renting an apartment or using public accommodations.
"The governor felt that this bill, SB200, was about fairness and treating people equally," said Evan Dreyer, spokesman for the governor's office. "It essentially updates anti-discrimination laws that in some cases have not been updated for 50 years."
Bruce DeBoskey, regional director of Denver's Anti-Defamation League, a civil rights organization, said the law is a step forward for Coloradans.
"No one should be denied housing or public accommodations solely because of his or her sexual preference," DeBoskey said.
One aspect of the law enables transgenders - those who were born one gender but identify with the other - to use public restrooms in which they feel most comfortable."
and, from the bill itself:
Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the following areas:
- Housing practices;
- Places of public accommodation;
- Publication of discriminative matter;
- Consumer credit transactions;
- Membership in labor organizations;
- Inclusion in public works projects;
- Issuance of license to practice law;
- Sales of cemetery plots
- Determination of whether expenses paid at or to a club that has a policy to restrict membership are tax deductible;
- The provision of funeral services;
- Enrollment or classification of students at private occupational schools;
- Eligibility for jury service;
- Enrollment in a charter school, institute charter school, public school, or pilot school for expelled students;
- Written local school boards of education policies regarding employment, promotion, and dismissal;
- The assignment or transfer of a public school teacher;
- Leasing portions of the grounds of or improvements on the grounds of the Colorado state university - Pueblo and the Colorado school of mines;
- Employment in state personnel system;
- The provision of adequate hospital facilities;
- Availability of family planning services;
- Employment practices of county departments of social services involving selection, retention, and promotion of employees;
- Participation in the managed care program under the childrens basic health plan;
- Making or committing to make a housing facility loan by the Colorado housing and finance authority; and
- Imposition of a discriminatory occupancy requirement on charitable property for which the owner is claiming an exemption from property taxes based on the charitable use of the property.
Adds prohibitions against discriminating on the basis of sex,
marital status, disability, age, national origin, ancestry, and religion, as
necessary, for consistency in antidiscrimination laws.
"The governor felt that this bill, SB200, was about fairness and treating people equally," said Evan Dreyer, spokesman for the governor's office. "It essentially updates anti-discrimination laws that in some cases have not been updated for 50 years."
Bruce DeBoskey, regional director of Denver's Anti-Defamation League, a civil rights organization, said the law is a step forward for Coloradans.
"No one should be denied housing or public accommodations solely because of his or her sexual preference," DeBoskey said.
One aspect of the law enables transgenders - those who were born one gender but identify with the other - to use public restrooms in which they feel most comfortable."
and, from the bill itself:
Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the following areas:
- Housing practices;
- Places of public accommodation;
- Publication of discriminative matter;
- Consumer credit transactions;
- Membership in labor organizations;
- Inclusion in public works projects;
- Issuance of license to practice law;
- Sales of cemetery plots
- Determination of whether expenses paid at or to a club that has a policy to restrict membership are tax deductible;
- The provision of funeral services;
- Enrollment or classification of students at private occupational schools;
- Eligibility for jury service;
- Enrollment in a charter school, institute charter school, public school, or pilot school for expelled students;
- Written local school boards of education policies regarding employment, promotion, and dismissal;
- The assignment or transfer of a public school teacher;
- Leasing portions of the grounds of or improvements on the grounds of the Colorado state university - Pueblo and the Colorado school of mines;
- Employment in state personnel system;
- The provision of adequate hospital facilities;
- Availability of family planning services;
- Employment practices of county departments of social services involving selection, retention, and promotion of employees;
- Participation in the managed care program under the childrens basic health plan;
- Making or committing to make a housing facility loan by the Colorado housing and finance authority; and
- Imposition of a discriminatory occupancy requirement on charitable property for which the owner is claiming an exemption from property taxes based on the charitable use of the property.
Adds prohibitions against discriminating on the basis of sex,
marital status, disability, age, national origin, ancestry, and religion, as
necessary, for consistency in antidiscrimination laws.
