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9 <br /> 1 WHEREAS, Orange County has a history of advancing the rights of its LGBTQ residents, <br /> 2 including Carrboro becoming the first town in the state to enact a domestic registry for same sex <br /> 3 partners, extending eligibility for employment benefits to same-sex partners of County <br /> 4 employees in September 2004, and the election a gay and lesbian elected officials within the <br /> 5 County; and <br /> 6 WHEREAS, additionally, in January of this year, Orange County was among the first local <br /> 7 governments in the state (along with Hillsborough, Carrboro, and Chapel Hill) to pass a local <br /> 8 nondiscrimination law extending protections in public accommodation and employment for <br /> 9 persons based on their sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression; and <br /> 10 WHEREAS, much physical and psychological violence is still inflicted on LGBTQ people both at <br /> 11 home and abroad, violence toward transgender people of color is increasing, bullying and <br /> 12 harassment of LGBTQ youth who make up a disproportionate number of homeless youth in the <br /> 13 United States continues, and the North Carolina General Assembly continues to entertain bills <br /> 14 targeting the transgender community; and <br /> 15 WHEREAS, Orange County is committed to standing with and supporting the LGBTQ <br /> 16 community, and to working to ensure that all of people, regardless of their sexual orientation or <br /> 17 gender identity or expression, are treated with respect and dignity; <br /> 18 NOW, THEREFORE, we the Orange County Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim the <br /> 19 month of June 2021 as PRIDE MONTH in Orange County and urge the North Carolina General <br /> 20 Assembly to pass the following bills into law: <br /> 21 1. The "Equality For All Act," which would establish comprehensive statewide <br /> 22 nondiscrimination protections for all LGBTQ people in NC (HB 450/SB 396) <br /> 23 2. HB 451/SB 438, which would fully and cleanly repeal HB142 and get the <br /> 24 discriminatory law off of the books. (sponsored by Senator Valerie Foushee) <br /> 25 3. "Mental Health Protection Act," which would prohibit the practice of`conversion <br /> 26 therapy.' (HB 452/SB 392) <br /> 27 4. HB 449/SB 409, which would ban the so-called "gay/trans panic" defense, a defense <br /> 28 that historically has been used to dismiss anti-LGBTQ violence and justify "heat of <br /> 29 passion" assaults. <br /> 30 This the 15th day of June 2021. <br /> 31 <br /> 32 Renee Price, Chair <br /> 33 Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> 34 <br /> 35 A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin, seconded by Commissioner Hamilton, to <br /> 36 approve and authorize the Chair to sign the proclamation. <br /> 37 <br /> 38 Roll call ensued <br /> 39 <br /> 40 VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 41 <br /> 42 d. Resolution of Commendation for Commissioner Mark Dorosin <br /> 43 The Board considered approving a proclamation commending Commissioner Mark <br /> 44 Dorosin for his service to Orange County. <br /> 45 <br /> 46 <br />