LANSING, Mich. — The Democratic-led Michigan House voted Wednesday to include gay and transgender residents among the protected groups of people under the state's anti-discrimination law, the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act.
The legislation, which passed the House 64-45, will move next to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has vowed to sign the bill into law after decades of debate over the policy. Eight Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the bill, which would protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations.
The vote cements in law a ruling from the Michigan Supreme Court last summer that found the current law's protections based on sex included protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation. The Supreme Court's decision left in place a lower court ruling that found gender identity also was protected under the current law.
