Jon Huntsman in The Associated Press

On Civil Rights: 2008: agreed to extend some rights to gay people

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said that discriminating against gay people shouldn't be illegal, although he would prefer that everyone be treated with respect. Herbert told reporters he doesn't believe sexual orientation should be a protected class in the way that race, gender and religion are.

In Utah, it is legal to fire someone for being gay or transgender. The gay rights advocacy group Equality Utah has been trying to change state law for several years but has been rebuffed by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Last year, the group got then-Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s support for extending some rights to gay people, although none of the bills became law.

Huntsman resigned this month to become U.S. ambassador to China, leaving Herbert, who was lieutenant governor, in charge until a special election in 2010. Both are Republican. Salt Lake City is considering an anti-discrimination ordinance, but conservative state lawmakers are eyeing passage of a law that would trump it.

Source: Associated Press, "Gays aren't in protected class" Aug 28, 2009

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Page last updated: Feb 15, 2019