Florida lawmakers want to add protections in state law for the lesbian gay bisexual and transgender community.

The measure would establish sexual orientation and gender as protected categories in Florida’s civil rights statutes. Those safeguards would extend to employment, housing and public accommodations. Rep. Ben Diamond (D-St. Petersburg) is optimistic about its chances.

“Given the fact that there’s broad public support,” he says, “that the business community is pushing for this, and we have many new members in the Legislature who are looking for ideas that will help our economy, I’m very hopeful that we’re going to get the comprehensive bill passed.”

He’s sponsoring the measure in the House along with Rep. Rene Plasencia (R-Orlando). Sen. Jeff Clemens (D-Lake Worth) is carrying the proposal in the Senate, where a similar measure died last year.