UTAH: Legislature Repeals “No Promo Homo” Law Banning Public Schools From Discussing LGBT Issues

Ben Winslow reports at Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate:

Utah lawmakers have passed a bill repealing a controversial law forbidding discussion in classrooms of anything that could be construed as “promotion” of homosexuality. Senate Bill 196’s passage might also get the state out of a lawsuit filed by three students and a pair of gay rights groups. The bill, sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Stuart Adams, R-Layton [photo], passed after a technical amendment on a 27-1 vote. It now goes to Governor Gary Herbert for his signature or veto.

Equality Utah and the National Center for Lesbian Rights sued Utah and the Cache, Weber and Jordan school districts in federal court over the law nicknamed “No Promo Homo,” alleging it discriminates against LGBTQ students. They claimed the law forbids discussion of things like same-sex marriage in schools and subjected students to a hostile environment in classrooms. The lawsuit was put on hold to buy the legislature time to pass the bill. Now that it’s headed to Governor Herbert’s desk, it appears that the lawsuit could be resolved.

In 2015 Gov. Herbert signed a bill making Utah the 19th state to ban anti-LGBT bias in housing and employment. However later that same year he did deliver the welcoming address at the convention of the viciously anti-LGBT World Congress of Families. Whether he’ll sign the “no promo homo” repeal seems uncertain. Similar laws remain in effect in several other states.