Houston's newly elected Mayor Annise Parker updated a twelve year old city non-discrimination policy to include transgendered individuals, Parker signing two executive orders last week prohibiting city employees from discrimination or harassment in hiring, promotion, and contracting based on gender identity and adding to existing prohibitions based on race, creed, color, sex, national origin, age, and disability. The orders also allow the transgendered to restroom facilities in city-owned buildings for the gender with which they identify.
Friday, in Salt Lake City, Utah, a new law came into effect that legally protects residents from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment and housing, the passage of which was helped in large part to an endorsement by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake County has already adopted the same safeguards, and Equality Utah, the state’s gay advocacy group, has initiated a "Ten in 2010" campaign that aims to have ten more cities or counties in the state pass similar legislation before the 2011 legislative session. One city, Park City, Utah, is expected to pass an ordinance within two weeks that will mirror the one enacted in Salt Lake, Mayor Dana Williams saying “to us, we sort of looked at this as the Tao of duh. If you are going to have non-discrimination ordinances for protection, it includes everyone.”
Iowa Governor Chet Culver, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and other governors have all received letters from what FBI officials are deemed to be “an identified sovereign citizens extremist group” that demands their resignation. According to reports, both the FBI and the United States Department of Homeland Security have advised all the governors to be on alert, and have asked local law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities. The FBI released a statement saying in part that “sovereign citizens extremists are individuals who reject all forms of government authority and believe they are emancipated from the responsibilities with being a US citizen. These extremists advocate for their views through the use, support, and facilitation of violence or other illegal conduct.” The group – identified as the Texas based Guardians of the free Republics – is actively recruiting members in Iowa.
Meanwhile, Republican candidate for Iowa governor Rob Roberts said on Friday to an assembled audience of thirty at Jonesy’s Taco House in Council Bluffs, that if elected he would employ all his authority to ensure that state residents have to the opportunity to vote on gay marriage, threatening not to sign the state budget if legislators decide not to authorize a vote on a constitutional amendment that would overturn the Iowa gay marriage law. Friday, marked the one year anniversary of the Iowa Supreme Court ruling that overturned a state ban on gay marriages. The Roberts threat seems far-fetched; before the electorate could vote on amendment defining marriage as that only existing between a man and woman the Legislature would need to approve it in two different assemblies.
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