LA GOP Rep Introduces Bill To Legalize Anti-Gay Employment Discrimination

Two weeks ago Louisiana GOP state Rep. Alan Seabaugh filed a bill that would effectively ban employment discrimination lawsuits filed on the basis of sexual orientation.  Equality Louisiana writes on their website:

HB 402 by Rep. Alan Seabaugh (R-Shreveport) would require that any employment discrimination lawsuits filed for reasons other than a very short list of protected categories be automatically dismissed and considered “frivolous.” Currently, Louisiana law doesn’t explicitly protect people against discrimination based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. If HB 402 becomes law, courts would have grounds to dismiss discrimination cases that they decide are based on sexual orientation or gender identity- which current law does not protect – and makes workers pay damages and court costs to their employers, adding more financial burden to victims of workplace discrimination.

Independent Media Group reports on their blog that Seabaugh's bill would supersede any local anti-discrimination ordinances. Here's the text of HB 402:

Provides that suits filed for employment discrimination for any reason other than age, disability, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, sickle cell trait, and genetic discrimination shall be dismissed and considered frivolous.

According to his Wikipedia profile, Seabaugh was the first Louisiana state rep elected with the backing of the Tea Party. In 2011 Seabaugh introduced an amendment which gutted a proposed anti-bullying bill.