Maine's delayed gay rights law takes effect

Maine became the last New England state to protect homosexuals from discrimination Wednesday as a law that voters refused to repeal last month went on the books.

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Maine voters on Nov. 8 rejected by a 55-45 percent margin an initiated proposal to repeal a legislatively enacted law to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing, credit, public accommodations and education.

It adds new protections to Maine's Human Rights Act while making Maine the sixth and final state in the New England region to adopt a law barring discrimination against gays and lesbians. Maine's law was enacted after a 30-year effort and defeats of two past laws at the polls.

Pat Peard, who has been involved in the effort to enact a law for more than a decade, said she did not expect to see a wave of complaints as the law takes effect.

"The importance of the day is it's finally happened and Maine citizens have an extra measure of protection they didn't have before," said Peard.


http://www.theunionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Maine%27s+delayed+gay+rights+law+takes+effect&articleId=461fa519-c0d7-4413-a57a-6f72a06f4ebb

of the next century.

I am glad it is happening around the country though. We have all those moralistic bigots to fight here.