http://www.wnd.com/2015/02/governors-executive-order-erases-lgbt-protections/
With the stroke of a pen, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback erased protections offered to LGBT state employees facing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Brownback, a Republican, signed an executive order Tuesday removing gender identity and sexual orientation from the classes of protected state workers put into place eight years ago by his predecessor, former Gov. Kathleen Sibelius.
Sebelius’ executive order in 2007 said the state’s government employees could not be discriminated against, fired or harassed because of their gender identity or sexual orientation.
Brownback then issued an additional executive order affirming state employees could not be discriminated against because of their race, religion, gender, age or country of national origin.
“This Executive Order ensures that state employees enjoy the same civil rights as all Kansans without creating additional ‘protected classes’ as the previous order did,” Brownback said in a short statement that did not specifically refer to sexual orientation or gender identity. “Any such expansion of ‘protected classes’ should be done by the legislature and not through unilateral action.”
The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT civil-rights group, blasted the governor’s “deplorable behavior” and called the order a “direct assault on fairness and equality in the state.”
“This is a dramatic reversal for Kansas. For eight years, LGBT state employees have been guaranteed non-discrimination protections and in one foul, reckless, and shameful decision, Governor Brownback has taken the state backward,” HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse said in a statement.
LGBT groups decried the move, describing it as “foul, reckless and shameful.”
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