“Starting today, the commonwealth of Virginia will not do business with entities that discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity,” McAuliffe said in Charlottesville, where he announced the order.
“Virginia is home to the best state workforce in the country and this policy will ensure there is no question that all Virginians are to receive the full benefits of their citizenship, without regard to their sexual orientation or gender identity.”
The order took effect upon McAuliffe’s signature and will remain in force until it is amended or rescinded by a further executive order.
The governor’s move comes as a Virginia lawmaker, Del. Robert G. Marshall, R-Prince William, has filed a bill that would force transgender people to use the bathroom corresponding to the sex on their birth certificate.
Marshall’s proposal, which faces long odds in the General Assembly session that begins Wednesday, mirrors North Carolina’s House Bill 2. That measure has led to business boycotts and outcry from LGBT groups.
McAuliffe has pledged to veto “any bill that restricts the rights of Virginians based on sexual orientation or gender identity.”
