It’s still not against the law in Missouri for an employer to fire someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Senator Joseph Keaveny of St. Louis is sponsoring the latest effort to change that, and his bill is currently being considered by a Senate committee.
The House version of the bill has yet to move forward, which doesn’t sit well with Representative Mike Colona of St. Louis, the legislature’s only openly gay lawmaker this session.
“What is so frustrating for me is to come over to the Senate and to sit through a hearing where these issues can be vetted, but yet by the same token we can’t even get a hearing on this issue over in the House,” Colona said.
Keaveny says term limits might play a role in moving the issue forward.
“I think as a result of term limits, the overall age of both chambers has come down to a point where more people are willing to talk about this,” Keaveny said.
The bill would most likely need a Republican supporter, but none have said anything while the bill is still in committee.
Colona, like Keaveny, says it's time for Missouri to include this in the state’s law. Opponents of the bill say they are concerned it would open employers up to more lawsuits.
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce says it wants to see the state’s employment laws changed before it supports a bill such as this one.
The Senate Committee on Progress and Development heard testimony on the bill Wednesday but took no action.
