TENNESSEE: Trump’s Likely Pick For Army Secretary Has Anti-LGBT Bill Pending In State Legislature

The Huffington Post reports:

President Donald Trump is expected to choose as his Army secretary Tennessee state Sen. Mark Green (R), a legislator who is popular among many tea party Republicans and is the sponsor of a bill that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer advocates say takes direct aim at their community.

Green’s confirmation would be a significant break with Eric Fanning, the previous Army secretary. Fanning, who held the job under President Barack Obama, was the first openly gay person to serve in the role. Green is the sponsor of SB 127, a bill that would bar government entities from taking “discriminatory action against a business entity on the basis of the internal policies of the business entity.”

Tennessee does not currently have nondiscrimination protections on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, although some municipalities do have stronger rules protecting LGBTQ government employees. Green’s bill, however, would bar local governments and public universities from looking at companies’ internal policies when doing business or giving out contracts ― because it would be considered discrimination against the business.

The Tennessee Senate approved Green’s bill last month and it’s now pending in the state House.