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Keaveny shoulders non-discrimination fight

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — For years, former Senate Minority Leader, Jolie Justus, pushed for Missouri to outlaw discrimination based on sexual preference or gender identity. Justus has left the chamber, a victim of term-limits. But Sen. Joe Keaveny, the new minority leader, has promised to take up Justus’ long-held mantle.

Keaveny, a Democrat from St. Louis, is sponsoring SB 237, which would prohibit precisely that kind of discrimination. Missouri’s Human Rights Act contains provisions outlawing such discrimination based on race, religion, creed, national origin or gender, but no language for LGBTQ individuals.

“In 2015, should we be discriminating against anybody?” Keaveny told The Missouri Times. “Should we be opposed to prohibiting discrimination against anyone? Is that what we want to be doing?”

Keaveny said the bill — which was passed through the senate two years ago as an amendment on an underlying bill but was not taken up for consideration in the House — “falls victim to politics.” Though, Keaveny voiced tentative optimism that House Speaker John Diehl, R-Town and Country, would be more open to considering the language than his predecessor, Speaker Tim Jones.

The bill has some broad support, with officials testifying in favor of the bill on behalf of the City of Kansas City, the City of St. Louis, Monsanto, PROMO, and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Testifying against the bill, as they’ve done in the past, were the Associated Industries of Missouri, The Missouri Chamber of Commerce, the Missouri Catholic Conference, the Missouri Family Network and Concerned Women for America.

Jay Atkins, general counsel and lobbyist for the Chamber, said the Chamber opposed any additions to the protected classes of Missouri employment law. Atkins elaborated that if Missouri’s employment law was less “out of balance,” in favor of employees, the Chamber would support “any” additions to the protected classes.

“Missouri employment law framework is precariously out of balance and puts employers at a distinct disadvantage when facing litigation. Until those problems are fixed we’re going to oppose any additions to the protected classes. If you make those changes, you can add anyone to those classes. You can add little green men if you want.”

Keaveny said he was confident that the bill would leave his committee, but said he didn’t know whether the bill would have support on the senate floor. The bill has become something of a staple for leading Democrats in the Senate, with many Republicans voicing private support for the bill while backing away from public statements in favor. A Republican sponsor in either chamber, particularly the House, might provide the bill’s best chance.