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Maine Gay Law Certified


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Maine Gay Law Certified

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: December 3, 2005 12:01 am ET

(Augusta, Maine) A law that provides human rights protections for Maine's LGBT community from discrimination in housing, employment and credit will go into effect on December 28.

The Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap has now certified the results of November's election where voters rejected an attempt to overturn the law.

The legislature had approved the legislation and it was signed by Governor John Baldacci in March (story) but put on hold when the Christian Civic League of Maine began a repeal effort. The group gathered enough signatures to force the issue onto the ballot.

The league has forced referenda on similar bills three times in the past decade and gays have seen the protections erased at the polls each time until this year.

Figures released by Dunlap show that the repeal effort failed 223,274 to 181,926. He said that turnout in the Nov. 8 election was better than 40 percent, well over the average in Maine referendum elections since 1971.

Since 1971, turnout for referendum elections in Maine has averaged just over 34 percent, the secretary said.

Following Dunlap's certification of the results, Gov. John Baldacci made the returns official by the signing of proclamations.

The law to bar discrimination on the basis of sexual will take effect on Dec. 28, which is 30 days from Monday's signing of the proclamation.

©365Gay.com 2005

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