Ga. State Rep. Simone Bell (D-Atlanta), the first openly lesbian African-American state legislator in the country, faces a major challenge in her re-election bid. But it isn’t her opponent, it’s her new district, Bell told the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Georgia on May 12.
Republicans control the Georgia General Assembly, and thus controlled redistricting in the wake of the 2010 U.S. Census. Bell was one of several Democratic lawmakers drawn into a district with another incumbent.
Georgia Equality has issued early endorsements for state Representatives Karla Drenner, Simone Bell and Keisha Waites as well as candidate Ken Britt. All are openly gay.
The state LGBT advocacy group has endorsed Bell and Drenner in their past elections. Britt, who is running in his first race, is a former board member of Georgia Equality. Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality, said today no endorsement of gay State Rep. Rashad Taylor has been made. He is facing strong LGBT ally and incumbent Pat Gardner for re-election.
The announcement of the early endorsements was made at an LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party on Saturday held at the Democratic Party Headquarters. House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams attended the meeting to urge members and supporters to work hard this election season, especially before the July 31 primary, to ensure progressive candidates are elected.
Ga. State Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) was named one of "Most Powerful Lesbian Moms in America" by the popular blog Mombian, joining such other moms as Jodie Foster, Wanda Sykes, Mary Cheney (yes, that Cheney) and Cat Cora from "Iron Chef."
This is the sixth annual list by Mombian, authored by lesbian mom and LGBT activist Dana Rudolph.
By a 3-2 vote on Tuesday, Georgia House Judiciary subcommittee tabled a bill that would provide workplace protections to all state employees, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender workers.
Voting against the bill were Reps. Stephen Allison (R-Blairsville), Billy Maddox (R-Zebulon) and Randy Nix (R-LaGrange). Voting to oppose the tabling of the bill were Reps. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur) and Pam Stephenson (D-Decatur).
"Tabling it is not as not as bad as beating it. But tabling it means they killed it," said state Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) immediately following the hearing. Last year, Drenner drafted House Bill 630, which included protection for gay and transgender state employees. The bill was introduced with 70 sponsors and co-sponsors, including 12 Republicans and one Independent. It would cover Georgia’s 174,000 state employees.
"It could come back, but that is unlikely," Drenner said.
'It is going to be a huge challenge to get it through this year'
The Georgia General Assembly starts its annual 40-day session on Jan. 9. A bill to ban anti-LGBT job discrimination against state employees is pending, but a host of governmental issues are expected to take up most of the legislature’s time, leaving lawmakers little for social issues.
The state is expected to address a thorny multi-state water agreement, potential changes to Atlanta’s mass transit system, tax reform, potential legal ramifications to last year’s immigration law, and education issues, among other topics.
Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale) enters this session the senior lawmaker in the recently formed GLBT Caucus, which now includes openly gay Reps. Simone Bell and Rashad Taylor, both Atlanta Democrats. Drenner said she’s uncertain what 2012 will bring to Georgia.