It has been more than a year since the Senate Judiciary Committee held its historic hearing on the Equality Act.1 If passed and signed into law, this legislation would provide clear and comprehensive federal protections against discrimination2 for millions3 of LGBTQI+ Americans. Sadly, in the absence of federal legislation, the landscape of legal protections for LGBTQI+ Americans remains complex and inconsistent. Currently, there are 29 states4 in which LGBTQI+ individuals are not fully protected from discrimination. Many states have actively discriminatory policies.5 And, with more than 1206 anti-LGBTQI+ bills introduced in state legislatures in January 2022 alone—including South Dakota passing the first anti-transgender legislation of the year—this number is slated to increase. However, there are 21 states, as well as Washington, D.C., and at least 330 municipalities that fully and explicitly prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people in employment, housing, and public accommodations.7 Existing studies of these antidiscrimination laws show that protections for LGBTQI+ individuals improve health and employment outcomes for those affected; lessen homophobia and social stigma; and lead to improved overall economic outcomes.
Many states and localities have established nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQI+ individuals in areas such as employment, housing, and education. Prior literature has examined the ways in which each of these forms of protection has impacted...
NEW HAVEN — A New Haven man pleaded guilty Friday to making false claims to the IRS after he was accused of fraudulently obtaining nearly $257,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, federal prosecutors sai...