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Chris Sununu on Civil Rights |
Legislative outcome:Senate voted 171-11-0 on May 30; House voted 222-157-18 on Sept 18 veto override
And that win came in the form of a decisive 195-129 vote in favor of HB 1319--all in a Republican-controlled legislative body, no less.
HB 1319--which adds gender identity to New Hampshire's existing non-discrimination legislation in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations--will have to clear the Senate next, and then be signed by Republican Governor Chris Sununu, who has already suggested he will support the bill. [Governor Sununu signed the bill on June 8].
In March, New Hampshire had a chance to join every other state in New England in passing legislation to give transgender Granite Staters equal protection under the law. The bill was derailed by New Hampshire House Republicans using a bogus bathroom argument, and the GOP members were too cowardly to even debate the measure, deciding to table the bill instead.
Sununu made only one comment: He had "no personal opinion" on whether transgender Granite Staters deserved equal rights.
When Sununu says he has "no opinion" or works to deny Granite Staters their civil liberties, he is saying that rights of transgender Granite Staters don't matter.
Said Governor Chris Sununu. "we must ensure that New Hampshire is a place where every person, regardless of their background, has an equal and full opportunity to pursue their dreams and to make a better life for themselves and their families. I am proud to establish the first Civil Rights Unit in the history of the New Hampshire Department of Justice. The actions we are taking today will keep New Hampshire on the forefront of efforts to combat discrimination and promote diversity and inclusion. As Governor, I am committed to ensuring that everyone is welcome and valued in the Granite State."
