Equally Speaking
The following is a transcript of HRC’s morning news webcast "Equally Speaking." To view the current videos visit the main Equally Speaking page.
Good morning, and thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking, your morning dose of GLBT news from the Human Rights Campaign for Wednesday, March 5th. I’m John Greene.
And I’m Candace Gingrich. First up, news from Washington state.
The Washington state Senate has passed a bill extending more than 160 new rights and responsibilities to registered domestic partners. The legislation has already passed the House and now awaits the governor’s signature. For more information, visit the Back Story blog at http://www.hrcbackstory.org/.
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has come out in support of legislation that would add the terms “gender identity and gender expression” to the state’s current anti-discrimination and hate crime laws. A letter declaring his support for transgender protections was read aloud at a state House hearing on Tuesday. Patrick has been a consistent ally of the GLBT community since he was elected governor in 2006.
The outcome of Tuesday’s primaries secured the Republican presidential nomination for John McCain. Mike Huckabee conceded his loss following a disappointing showing. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton won Rhode Island and the crucial states of Texas and Ohio. Barack Obama took Vermont.
A Tennessee bill that would have prohibited teaching of anything GLBT-related in kindergarten through eighth grades has been killed in subcommittee. However, the state House did request the Tennessee Department of Education investigate whether GLBT issues are currently being discussed in schools. The Department will issue a report in the next few weeks.
A Las Vegas clinic has been closed after state health officials determined six patients contracted Hepatitis C due to unsafe practices, including the reuse of syringes and vials. Health officials are attempting to contact about 40,000 patients who may have been exposed to the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is concerned that this may represent “the tip of an iceberg” of safety problems at clinics around the country.
An HIV-positive Georgia man who was initially denied health insurance because he had previously been covered under a domestic partnership policy will now be allowed to buy into the state’s insurance program. The office of the state’s insurance commissioner, John Oxendine, had originally denied coverage because, quote, “the relationship of domestic partner is not considered a family relationship under Georgia law.” Oxendine has a history of using his position to block domestic partnership benefits for same-sex couples.
That’s the news from us today. Thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking.
Have a great day, and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow morning.