Bill outlawing transgender discrimination goes to Sandoval

CARSON CITY -- A bill that would outlaw job discrimination against transgender people in Nevada was sent to Gov. Brian Sandoval on Tuesday.

The Assembly on a voice vote agreed to a Senate amendment and passed the bill. The amended bill was approved by the Senate last week.

The bill's sponsor, Assemblyman Paul Aizley, D-Las Vegas, said he has spoken to two sources who told him the governor will sign Assembly Bill 211. Sandoval's staff members have refused to say what position the governor will take.

Only four of the 26 Republicans in the Legislature backed the bill, which was supported by 35 of the 36 Democrats.

Thirteen states have laws prohibiting employers from discriminating against transgender men and women. During hearings, transgender people testified their unemployment rate is two to three times higher than the overall rate.

"They are just people," said Aizley, adding that many have good educations and deserve a chance to succeed.

He estimated Nevada's transgender population at 25,000, or about 1 percent of the total population.

Under the bill, employers with companies with 15 or more employees could not discriminate against job applicants and employees on the basis of gender expression or identity.

Gender expression or identity is described as a "gender-related identity, appearance, expression or behavior of a person, regardless of the person's assigned sex at birth." Employees could be required to "adhere to reasonable workplace appearance" standards.

The amendment approved Tuesday specifies that employers cannot discriminate against people based on their "sexual orientation" as well as their race, sex, color, gender identity and expression, and other factors. A 1999 state law prohibits discrimination based on one's sexual orientation. In preparing AB211, bill drafters unintentionally omitted placing those words in the bill.