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‘Governor Owens’ veto is out of step with the voters and businesses in Colorado,’ said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

WASHINGTON - Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese made the following statement regarding Colorado Gov. Bill Owens’ veto of a bill prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. The bill was approved in 2004 and 2005 by the Colorado Legislature but vetoed by the governor each time.

“Governor Owens’ veto is out of step with the voters and businesses in Colorado,” said Solmonese. “Fears that this legislation would cause some onslaught of lawsuits can easily be assuaged by simply reading the bill. If an employee feels they’ve been wrongly discriminated against, they go through a step-by-step administrative procedure that rarely makes its way to court. These claims would be no different. Governor Owens is making excuses that don’t hold water.”

Only one other governor — then-California Gov. Pete Wilson — has ever vetoed a measure prohibiting sexual orientation-based discrimination. Wilson then signed a measure adding sexual orientation anti-discrimination protections to the state’s Labor
Code law the next year.

Seventeen states and Washington, D.C., have laws that prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, and seven prohibit gender identity-based discrimination, including Colorado neighbor New Mexico.

Major employers in Colorado, including Coors Brewing Company, Qwest Communications, First Data Corp. and Ball Corp., have implemented non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation.

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that LGBT Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.