5 Republicans joined the Democrats in passing legislation which prohibits employers and property owners, who have a moral objection to homosexuality, from hiring/renting to whom they wish. The vote was 53-39.

The 5 Republicans who pandered to the sodomite lobby are:

Terry Blair of the 38th District

Peggy Lehner of the 37th District

Matt Dolan of the 98th District (This idiot would be speaker if the House maintained its majority last year.)

Cliff Hite of the 76th District

Ross McGregor of the 72nd District

These 5 candidates will be opposed vigorously by Right Ohio, as their vote on this incredible erosion of private property rights is inexcusable.

From The Dispatch:

After years of collecting dust in legislative committees, a bill that would prohibit employment or housing discrimination based on sexual orientation passed a divided Ohio House yesterday.[...]

“Other people are getting that evidence and information (of discrimination), but I am not,” Harris said. “I talk to business people all the time, and they’re saying it’s not an issue.”

A major business voice, the National Federation of Independent Business/Ohio, has raised concerns.

“We recognize the reality that this is going to mean, quite potentially, additional lawsuits against employers, many of which will not have committed discrimination and will not have been found as such but will still have to pay exorbitant legal bills,” said Ty Pine, the group’s legislative director.

Lynne Bowman, executive director of Equality Ohio, a gay and transgender advocacy group, said studies in other states that have passed similar laws show no significant increase in lawsuits.

The bill has been around for years but did not get a vote until Democrats won control of the Ohio House this year.

Rep. Ross McGregor, R-Springfield, who joined Stewart in sponsoring the bill, read a few of the more than 100 communications to his office, including one saying his actions are a “disgrace” and a “betrayal,” and another threatening violence against gays.

McGregor, a business owner, tied passage of the bill to economic development. “Creating an environment open to all is only going to help our economy in Ohio,” he said.

Significant increases in lawsuits or not, the studies that Bowman looked at couldn’t possibly calculate the the impact of the mere threat of litigation. This law has nothing to do with equality before the law, and has everything to do with government endorsement of immoral and unhealthy behavior.

To improve Ohio’s business climate, it is absolutely fascinating, although not surprising, that the Democrats and a handful of pathetic Republicans would support MORE regulation and control over businesses in Ohio. pathetic