Kentucky Gov. elevates sexual/gender preference to protected status for state employees

Beshear gives gays protection at work
Two other orders also cover state labor issues
By Tom Loftus
June 3, 2008

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Gov. Steve Beshear yesterday granted employment protections for gays and lesbians in state government, one of three executive orders he made reversing policies of his predecessor.

The other two fulfill campaign promises he made to labor groups: giving the state's labor agency cabinet-level status and re-establishing a council to advise him on the concerns of state workers.

On gay rights, former Gov. Ernie Fletcher, a Republican, had stripped from his administration's equal employment opportunities policy a phrase to bar job discrimination in state government on the basis of "sexual orientation or gender identity." the rest