DC Agenda veteran reporter Lou Chibarro pens a terrific piece on key ENDA votes in the Senate.
Of interest to North Carolinians:
Meanwhile, Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), another lawmaker not currently co-sponsoring ENDA, is among the Democrats that LGBT activists are hoping will come through with another needed vote on ENDA. Like the other senators, she has expressed general support for LGBT equality but declined to sign on as an ENDA co-sponsor.
“I think she would probably vote for it,” said Hastings Wyman, editor of Southern Political Report, an authoritative newsletter about politics in the South. “She voted for health care and she has another four years before she comes up for re-election.”
Hagan’s name is missing on ENDA co-sponsorship, but in her time as a state senator Hagan lent her name to similar pieces of legislation.
In the 2005-2006 legislative session, Hagan co-sponsored Senate Bill 1113. The bill would have clarified state employment policies to forbid discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation for employees of the General Assembly.
In 2007-2008, Hagan co-sponsored Senate Bill 1534. That bill would have prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression for all state employees.
Neither the 05-06 or 07-08 bills were successful.
So, will Hagan vote for ENDA? Yeah. Likely so. Will she co-sponsor? Probably only if enough of her constituents let her know it is a priority.
You can contact Hagan through any of her offices:
WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE
521 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-6342
Fax: 202-228-2563
GREENSBORO OFFICE – STATE HEADQUARTERS
701 Green Valley Rd; Suite 201
Greensboro, NC 27408
Phone: 336-333-5311
Fax: 336-333-5331
RALEIGH OFFICE
310 New Bern Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: 919-856-4630
Fax: 919-856-4053
CHARLOTTE OFFICE
1520 South Boulevard; Suite 205
Charlotte, NC 28203
Phone: 704-334-2448
Fax: 704-334-2405
ASHEVILLE OFFICE
82 Patton Avenue; Suite 635
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: 828-257-6510
Fax: 828-257-6514
GREENVILLE OFFICE
301 South Evans Street; Suite 102
Greenville, NC 27858
Phone: 252-754-0707
Fax: 252-754-0766