Maryland definitely beat us to it…

The last time I blogged about safe schools and anti-bullying legislation, it was on the happy occasion of Florida’s passage of a general anti-bullying bill. Although the Florida bill didn’t enumerate categories inclusive of sexual orientation and gender-identity, the legislative intent was made clear on the floor of the legislature.

Now another state has beaten the Good Ole’ North State to the punch.

Today, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley signed into law a comprehensive anti-bullying bill including enumerated categories inclusive of sexual orientation and gender-identity. Maryland is the seventh state to pass such a law.

A similar bill passed the N.C. House last May. A stripped-down version passed our State Senate. Today, the N.C. Legislature went back to work for the biennial “short session.” They’ll now have the opportunity to get the differing House and Senate safe schools bill version in sync.

To that end, I encourage all my North Carolina readers to take a trip over to the Equality North Carolina website and sign their petition on the School Violence Prevention Act.

Posted in High School, LGBT, LGBT Youth, North Carolina, Politics, United States |