LOUISIANA: House Committee Rejects LGBT Housing Protections Bill

The Louisiana House Commerce Committee has voted against a bill that would have made it illegal to refuse to sell or rent property to LGBT citizens.

Three Democrats joined nine Republicans on the House Commerce Committee in rejecting the measure Monday 12-3. None said specifically why they voted against the bill. The bill by Rep. Pat Smith, D-Baton Rouge, would have added sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran’s status, source of income, domestic abuse victim status and conviction record to the list of characteristics a property owner could not use to deny someone housing. The committee had previously rejected a similar proposal by Rep. Jared Brossett, D-New Orleans, seeking to protect gays from housing discrimination.

The vote came after pressure from the Louisiana Family Forum, who warned legislators that only "morally neutral characteristics" warranted protections under state law.