Democratic State Rep. Mike Villarreal filed legislation HB 238, which if passed would amend the Texas Labor Code to provide equal employment protections for gay and transgender employees.
"My question is," said Villareal: "Is this person showing up on time and doing their job? If they are, then they should be treated no differently than anybody else. Unfortunately, the LBGT community doesn't have the same protections in the state of Texas that they enjoy in other states."
Villarreal's legislation does not create a new statute; it simply adjusts the existing Texas Labor Code to protect gay and transgender employees, just as it currently protects people based on race, religion, sex, national origin, and disability.
Equal employment protections exists in many major corporations – including protections for gay and transgender workers – but it is not provided by law.