With every Republican in opposition, the House of Representatives voted 77 to 62 Thursday night for legislation barring discrimination against perhaps one of the last unprotected minorities, the transgender population.
The bill barring discrimination on the basis of gender identity applies to employment, housing and public accommodations, including the use of restrooms - a topic that dominated the five-hour debate.
The bill, which now goes to the Senate, was considered an unfinished piece of business by the "LGBT community," the coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists who helped pass the state's first gay rights bill 20 years ago.
"It's a continuation of protecting a minority against discrimination," said Betty Gallo, a lobbyist on the first gay rights bill and the more recent gender identification measure.
Much of the debate focused on public bathrooms: Which bathroom should be used by someone whose sexual identity is in doubt? By someone who might still have male genitalia, but dresses, lives and appears to be a woman?
Opponents questioned the need for the bill and suggested it might give legal protections to someone who indulges in a whim to dress as the opposite sex.
"Today, I feel like a woman," said House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., R-Norwalk, imagining himself as a man wanting to use a ladies room. "If you don't let me, I'm going to sue you."
"This is not right," said Rep Penny Bacchiochi, R-Somers.
To the proponents, the passage was about broader protections against being fired or evicted over their gender identity. The bill has been offered for years without success.
"One of the things we've learned over time is this is not a whim," said House Majority Leader J. Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden. "This is something very wrenching for the person who deals with these issues on a day to day basis."
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, whose legal counsel had testified in support of the measure at a public hearing, has promised to sign the bill if it clears the next hurdle: debate in the Senate.
Malloy's support became an issue for Republicans.
Cafero said he did not seek a caucus position on the bill, leaving the 48 Republicans present to rely on their own values and reasons for opposition. Fourteen Democrats joined them. (A roll call can be viewed here.)
"We are now in a place where every vote has become a partisan pitched battle," Cafero said.
Cafero said the GOP resented what he called the administration's heavy-handed lobbying to round up votes for the bill and against Republican amendments.
"The governor was behind this bill, using every asset and resource to help lobby the bill," Cafero said. "He had his staff twisting arms."
Michael P. Lawlor and Andrew McDonald, who were co-chairs of the legislature's Judiciary Committee until resigning to join the Malloy Administration, were present during parts of the debate.
McDonald said he testified in support of the bill before the Judiciary Committee at Malloy's direction -- something he mentioned during the public hearing -- and that Malloy had submitted testimony in support of previous versions while he was the mayor of Stamford.
"The governor has been a longstanding supporter of this legislation, and he very much looks forward to signing it," McDonald said during his testimony in March.
Gallo handed out copies of the testimony as she lobbied House members.
"His support of this legislation has been unwavering and consistent," McDonald, the governor's legal counsel, said after the vote. "His support has not been secret."
House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan, D-Meriden, called the vote a proud moment for 77 Democrats in the House and a statement against bigotry and discrimination.
"It might not be politically expedient, but it was the right thing to do," Donovan said.
Donovan dismissed the idea that the GOP vote might have been a reaction against the governor's support.
"In the end, your vote is for what you believe is right," he said.
Debate became heated at times, as some Democrats questioned what lay behind the opposition of some Republicans. Some of those questions came on the House floor. One came on a Twitter comment posted during the debate.
Rep. Matthew Lesser, D-Middletown, said in a tweet: "Tonight's debate on adding gender identity & expression to state's non-discrimination laws being hijacked by ugly fear-mongering."
It was not unnoticed by Republicans, who responded in real-time on the House floor. He was reprimanded by Rep. Pamela Sawyer, R-Bolton, for questioning a member's motives, a violation of House rules and etiquette.
Lesser was unapologetic.
"I tweeted what I tweeted," Lesser said. "And I believe it sincerely."
Wow... I'm sure going to sleep better tonight knowing that this bill has been passed and that Danny is going to sign it as soon as it hits his desk! I didn't know this issue has been what was keeping me up, but now I do. Thanks, all you fall-off-the-left-edge liberals in the legislature. I thought you were tied up with stuff like the budget and keeping the state from just shutting down but now I know that you've been making the state a better place for me to live in with legislation like this. God
Read Morewell that was refreshing use of sarcasm.
why are slandering this a bathroom bill? it is nothing of the sort, it allows us transsexuals to live with the same rights as everyone else, and this isn't so a "guy" can take a whiz in the womens restroom, this so we can work and live without fear of loosing our homes and jobs unfairly, we do not choose to be transsexual, we are born this way, same as someone is born black skinned or with brown eyes.
if you are worrying about sexual predators, who is going to protect the female
being a blue state I expect some weird debates in our esteemed legislature but as the Connecticut ship is fastly sinking I would think the esteemed legislators would spend time on important issues that affect taxpaying, hard working citizens you know , the useful idiots (V. Lenin) who foot the bill for this.
When does the white tail rabbit bill come up for debate, have we decided on the State Official Polka yet?
Slander? Excuse me?
Are you saying that we shouldn't correct problems that we have -whether they deal with mental or physical health? Should we not correct clft palate babies and just allow them to live as they are? No. What about people with depression, PTSD or schizophrenia? Should we give suicidal people guns so they can act how they feel if they want? Or allow a schizophrenic to do as they please? Those patients will tell you that they feel best without medications or interventions.
We're a compassionate society and try to support people to be better people whenever possible.
Read Moreif you are confused, then ask, if you do not understand then learn, that is the way the human mind works, all we ask TG people ask is the same rights as everyone else
if someone appears and dresses as female, then the general rule of thumb is use female pronouns
if someone appears and dresses male, then use male pronouns
i'm sorry to say it's not to hard to work out would you call a female friend him ?
its fantastic another state in u.s.a has come into the arena of humanity and human rights.
people around the world see usa as a role model for equality and humanity
although in some states this isn't the case......
it's ludicrous to think that usa sends humanitarian aid to afganistan, libya,iraq and other countries around the world on humanitarian missions to protect innocent civilians.
and yet full legal equality to protect all civilians in the usa is so much of struggle for the people in power there to put into place!!
equality and freedom should be a pre requisite for every
The Conservatives always call transgender protections "A Bathroom Bill". Why don't they get something fresh? The transgender population is the most discriminated against class in America. This law was urgently needed and those who supported it were doing a great job for the people of Connecticut.
I won't say the same for the republicans. What I don't understand is why those that don't support equal protections for an entire class of human beings just can't mind their own business and allow those that need protection to be protected?
In the end the Connecticut legislature has prevailed in spite of
GET A GRIP! Sorry you're so bored but, there are fewer bills of greater importance. If you opened your eyes and woke up to the fact that your total lack of knowledge of an issue does not therefore equate to that issues relative social value. That would mean that quantum physics is of no redeeming value. That means in your world the transistor, cryptography, the N.S.I.T. ultra precision clock to mention a few are from "weird debates" that are were on that fastly sinking ship. By the way, -fastly- has been considered obsolete since the 19th century. How old are
Read MoreI still don't understand how you're going to dictate to me to learn something that's as easy as driving on the right hand side of the road. Now you want me to drive on the left and use left handed scissors. Easier said than done.
How could "the most discriminated population in America" be true?
Please cite a source for this quote.
In the last 11 years there have been only two complaints at the Human Rights Commission. One was dismissed because it wasn't valid. And the second one I didn't read yet, so that might be wrong too.
So.
Read MoreContact your Senator and Governor today. Go to http://www.facebook.com/NoBathroomBill and www.ctfamily.org and "take action" today.
Don't confuse transgender with homosexual. This bill would permit men - sexually attracted to women - to use women's bathrooms, dressing rooms, locker rooms, dorm rooms and even showers. The bill is so vague, it doesn't ever require a man to wear a bow in his hair to take advantage of this law. PEEPING HAPPENS, even in CT. Our legislators should not be inviting any man - cross dressing or not, transgender or not - into women's public bathrooms.
this is not a bathroom bill, this bill is so that transsexuals male and female can live their lives as normal human beings with the same rights as you.
stop spreading the hate and lies, peeping is done by non transsexuals, please make sure that your claims are substantiated,
hate is harder to explain than love
Funny because women who have been born a women are still treated like second class citizen here in CT, just ask someone who has been sexual assaulted, then ask why a bill that was to address this never left the committees but this one did…..I support gay rights but I think that our State Rep and senator care nothing about women and children.
thankyou for bringing that to my attention as well, thats disgusting.
from what i can tell the laws in the US are a mess at best, having independent states doesn't seem to be working, i am happy to say that all law in the UK is centralized to the main government and not passed off to local councils,
to me it looks as though most laws are constitutional but the people trying to stop them aren't.
i'm guessing that CT residents have a long way to go before everyone is equal. the general feel i get is that the US
Once again the Democrat state legislators are short-sighted by their passing of this bill. The unintended consequences of their actions threaten our residents, in particular children, in CT. How far must this state sink before we learn our lesson? Democrats in Hartford - Let's try thinking before acting. The budget is yet another example of bad policy making.
CT needs to elect new officials if those in office don't represent the views of the majority of the voters in this state and they fail to act in their best interests.
It is not just about allowing males to potentially
Read Morehow about you do some research into transgendered people, first off transgendered people here in the UK can use the appropriate bathroom for their projected gender
IE a man on their way to becoming a woman can use a womans bathroom,
and guess how many stories we read each day about transgendered people exposing themselves in bathrooms, none, not one, just so you know that means zero, sexual assault has been proven to be a majority straight "normal" male act
once again this bill isn't about which bathroom to use this is so that transgendered people have the same rights
Read MoreGender discrimination is still the problem of most gays and lesbians out there who are trying to live life as normal as some straight men and women. They are trying to protect themselves from rejections and critics from all people that were trying to hurt them not physically but emotionally. As this, I have read the story of Brenda S. "Sue" Fulton that was assigned Tuesday by President Obama to the West Point Military Academy's Board of Visitors. The news appeared in a White House press release. Fulton is the very first publicly gay individual to get that honor. I
Read More"If the state does not change its demographic trajectory, it faces a bleak future."
A Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis report, "Recovery Stirring, But Will Connecticut be Too Old to Compete?"
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