HRC TO LAUNCH 2ND EQUIDAD PROJECT TO RATE LGBTQ WORKPLACE INCLUSION IN CHILE: Today in Chile, HRC will kick off its groundbreaking partnership with Fundación Iguales & Pride Connection with an international launch of HRC’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI), the premier report tracking LGBT inclusion in the world’s largest companies. “Following the equality trend across the Americas, Chile is now taking a clear lead by investing in LGBT inclusion in the workplace, which is both fair and smart for business,” said Deena Fidas, Director of HRC Equidad MX and HRC’s Workplace Equality Program. “This partnership with Fundación Iguales demonstrates our commitment to deliver concrete results for LGBT employees in Chile and around the globe.” HRC has previously launched the CEI internationally in Mexico, marking the historic HRC Equidad MX initiative that works with leading employers in country to create more diverse and LGBT-inclusive workplaces. More from HRC.

BREAKING -- POLITICO REPORTS TRUMP-PENCE TO ALLOW HEALTH WORKERS TO REFUSE TO TREAT TRANS PATIENTS: Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) and Jennifer Haberkorn (@jenhab) are reporting that the administration is considering a rule that would allow an exemption for health workers who “don't want to perform abortions, refuse to treat transgender patients based on their gender identity or provide other services for which they have moral objections.” Sources tell Politico the rule would shield health workers and “punish organizations that don’t allow them to express their moral objections.” Read more at Politico.

HISTORIC -- DEMOCRATS FLIP WISCONSIN STATE SENATE SEAT: HRC mobilized our 1,280 members and supporters in this district to get out the vote for State Senator-elect Patty Schachtner in this crucial election, flipping a seat that had been held by Republicans since the start of the century. By comparison, the margin of victory in this race was 1,600. In the 2016 election, Donald Trump won this district by 17 points. More from CNBC and The Washington Post.

TODAY IN OHIO -- HRC, EQUALITY OHIO AND LOCAL ADVOCATES CALL ON LEGISLATORS TO PASS FAIRNESS ACT: Rep. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) will join representatives from HRC Ohio, Equality Ohio, the Ohio Business Competes Coalition and TransOhio for a press conference at 10:00 a.m. in The Ladies Gallery at the Ohio Statehouse, to call for passage of the Ohio Fairness Act. Ohio is one of 31 states that lack explicit state-level protections for all LGBTQ people, and ranked in the “High Priority to Achieve Basic Equality” category in HRC’s 2017 State Equality Index (SEI), which provides a comprehensive state-by-state analysis of laws and policies that affect LGBTQ people and their families.

• A Jan. 31 hearing on the Fairness Act, introduced by Rep. Antonio, will be the first time in almost 10 years that legislators will formally consider non-discrimination protections for Ohio’s LGBTQ community.
• The Daily Beast’s Samantha Allen (@SLAwrites) previews legislative attacks on the LGBTQ community. More from The Daily Beast.

TRUMP EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ATTACKS ON MEDIA WITH DEPLORABLE STUNT: Donald Trump doesn’t like it when he is held to account for his bigotry, discrimination, lies and undermining of our democracy. So, as is his troubling pattern, he is again planning to attack journalists and media outlets for performing their valuable jobs -- ensuring that we have a free and open press to help maintain the integrity of our government. The work of journalists dedicated to holding our elected and appointed officials accountable has never been more important. More from HRC.

• Morning Must Read: “The Fake News Awards are another escalation in Trump's assault on press freedoms” from the Los Angeles Times editorial board.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING WEDNESDAY -- TRANSGENDER WOMAN “SENT HOME TO A DEADLY NIGHTMARE BY TRUMP’S AMERICA”: Cristel was placed in a detention center by the Trump-Pence Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) forces, who plan to send her back to her native country of El Salvador. Cristel sought asylum in the U.S. after being targeted by violent gangs who threatened to murder her because she is trans. If forced to return to El Salvador? “They are going to kill me,” she told reporter Josefina Salomón (@josefinasalomon). More from The Washington Post.

GRUESOME MURDER OF LGBTQ TEEN MAY BE HATE CRIME: Authorities have arrested Samuel Woodward on suspicion of murdering Blaze Bernstein. Bernstein, a college student, was found with more than 20 stab wounds. This horrific and tragic crime must be thoroughly investigated as reported hate violence continues to rise nationwide. More from The Los Angeles Times.

DOVER, N.H., POLICE CHIEF CALLS FOR LAW PROTECTING TRANS PEOPLE: “Right now, under New Hampshire state law, there are no measures that explicitly protect transgender people from discrimination in the workplace, in access to housing, and in public spaces like restaurants, shops, and government buildings. That’s wrong,” writes Dover, N.H. Police Chief Anthony Colarusso in a piece for Seacoast Online supporting a bill that would provide such protections. More from Seacoast Online.

CONGRATS TO NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY ON HIS INAUGURATION: HRC-endorsed Murphy is a strong pro-equality leader who believes that no one in New Jersey -- from military veterans to small business owners to aspiring parents -- should be treated differently because of who they are or whom they love. He has committed to vigorously expanding and enforcing anti-bullying and LGBTQ non-discrimination protections, and recently spoke out strongly against President Trump’s unconscionable transgender military ban.

PALM SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER SHARES EXPERIENCES OF BIPHOBIA: “It’s not appropriate to ask someone if they’re really sure about their sexual orientation or if they’d had experiences or if it was just one time in college, which I heard again and again in professional settings,” Palm Springs City Councilwoman Christy Gilbert Holstege says. More from Advocate.

TWO TRANSGENDER MEMBERS OF MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL INAUGURATED: Andrea Jenkins (@annapoetic) was announced as the body’s vice president. Phillipe Cunningham (@CunninghamMPLS) will serve as vice chair on the Committee of the Whole. More from Minnesota Daily.

HORIFYING -- EGYPT ARRESTS NINE ON SUSPICION OF BEING LGBTQ: The arrests are the latest in a crackdown on LGBTQ people in the country. HRC has called on Egyptian authorities and the media to respect the human rights and freedom of expression of their LGBTQ citizens. More from Gay Star News.

TAIWAN GOVERNMENT CONSIDERING ADDING THIRD GENDER OPTION TO PASSPORTS AND NATIONAL IDENTITY CARDS: A government spokesperson says a final decision has yet to be made, but local LGBTQ groups are actively pushing for the change. More from Reuters.

READING RAINBOW 

Valley News reports that the Claremont, N.H., library started an initiative to bring diversity and inclusion to its children's books collection; Advocate honors the life of The Cranberries’ Dolores O'Riordan; Austin Statesman reviews “Sunday Church,” a new film with LGBTQ themes; ABC interviews actor Asia Kate Dillon (@AsiaKateDillon) on non-binary representation in media