Ohio’s Equal Housing and Employment Act (HB 176) dies as the 129th Ohio General Assembly is sworn into office today, starting a new session of the legislature.

The EHEA would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations.

The Ohio House approved the EHEA with bipartisan support in September 2009, during the session of the 128th Ohio General Assembly. The legislation was passed on to the Ohio Senate, where it was stalled by then Senate President Bill Harris, as he never assigned the EHEA to a committee.

All bills that are not approved before the end of the Ohio legislature’s session are tossed out. If there is still interest in a bill that dies, it must be reworked and reintroduced in the next session.

Equality Ohio has been working on the EHEA for several years, and this was the first time the bill ever passed the House.