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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Bill on gay rights passes House panel

Associated Press

OLYMPIA – A bill banning discrimination against gays and lesbians that supporters have unsuccessfully tried to get into the law over the past three decades passed a House committee Tuesday.

The bill passed the State Government Operations and Accountability Committee on a 5-4 vote along party lines. The bill now goes to the Rules Committee.

The bill would ban discrimination against gays and lesbians in employment, housing and insurance.

The House passed the bill last year, but it died in the Senate after Senate Republican leadership adjourned early to kill the measure. This year, the House, Senate and governor’s office are all controlled by Democrats.

“This is a bill I agonize over every time we consider it,” said Rep. Toby Nixon, R-Kirkland.

“It’s difficult to resolve the conflict between fundamental civil rights that’s represented not only in the bill but the underlying law.”