ANOTHER MOVE FORWARD FOR US ALL - A930/S362

It passed!!! Now we just need the governor to sign off on it (which he has stated that he will).

(Washington, DC) — Today New Jersey made a historic stride forward in
protecting the civil rights of transgender people. New Jersey's
Senate passed bill S362 on Monday, December 11, by a vote of 31-5.
The Assembly version, A930, passed New Jersey's lower house today by
a vote of 69-5, and now goes to Governor Jon S. Corzine, who is
expected to sign the bill into law. Once signed, New Jersey will
become the ninth state in the country to make discriminatory
practices based on gender identity or expression illegal. New Jersey
joins California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico and
Rhode Island in legislating statewide transgender-inclusive
nondiscrimination protections. These state-level laws in addition to
similar transgender-inclusive protections in the District of Columbia
and in over 80 cities and counties now protect one-third of the US
population based on gender identity or expression.

"The legislation in New Jersey represents a huge civil rights victory
for transgender communities," said Mara Keisling, executive director
of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). "I applaud
the amazing efforts of the Gender Rights Advocacy Association of New
Jersey (GRAANJ), Garden State Equality and local advocates who showed
that when we stand up for what's right, we can win. While we
celebrate that one-third of the US population is now covered, NCTE is
continues to fight for explicitly transgender-inclusive protections
on the federal level."

New Jersey's new law prohibits discriminatory practices in
employment, housing and public accommodations based on "gender
identity or expression"—the legislative language that covers
transgender people. Too often transgender people face harassment and
discrimination on the job or when applying for employment; when
attempting to secure housing through rental properties or real
estate; and in accessing everyday public accommodations, such as
hospitals, schools, shops, hotels, restaurants and theaters.

"We are tremendously pleased to see this bill go to Governor Corzine
for his consideration," said Barbra Casbar, political director of the
Gender Rights Advocacy Association of New Jersey (GRAANJ) and
National Center for Transgender Equality Board of Advisors
member. "GRAANJ and our allies have worked very hard to educate the
public and policymakers on the critical importance of making
protections for transgender New Jersians explicit in our state's law.
The vastly positive vote for the legislation proves conclusively that
effective education will tear down the walls of ignorance and
discrimination"
"The overwhelming support of our Legislature shows that New Jersey's
elected officials recognize the need for civil rights protections for
all of their constituents," said Donna Cartwright, a founding member
of the Gender Rights Advocacy Association of New Jersey (GRAANJ) and
member of the Board of Directors of the National Center for
Transgender Equality. "Prohibiting discrimination based on a person's
gender identity or expression is common-sense given the level of
prejudice that transgender people face at work, in securing housing
and accessing vital public accommodations such as hospitals."

In June 2006, the National Center for Transgender Equality held its
first national Target States Conference to provide legislative
advocacy training to support local efforts in New Jersey and in eight
other states where anti-discrimination laws included "sexual
orientation" but not yet "gender identity or expression." GRAANJ's
Barbra Casbar and Terry McCorkell were among the activists who
attended NCTE's Target States Conference.

"We are ecstatic," said GRAANJ Co-Founder Terry McCorkell. "The
people of New Jersey have historically been stalwart champions of
justice and equality. Today we demonstrate to the nation that New
Jersey is second to none in guaranteeing fair treatment under the law
for all people in the Garden State."

Recognizing the need to curb rampant discrimination against
transgender people, currently eight states, the District of Columbia
and 80+ cities and counties across the country have now passed
explicitly transgender-inclusive anti-discrimination laws. Upon
Governor Corzine's signature, New Jersey will become the ninth state
with inclusive anti-discrimination laws. These laws currently cover
33.5-percent, or one-third, of the US population.

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