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LGBTQ rights campaign loses signature battle

LGBTQ supporters gather in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 8, 2019.
Manuel Balce Ceneta
/
AP
LGBTQ supporters gather in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 8, 2019.

A petition drive to add LGBTQ rights to the state’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act hit a dead end Tuesday. That’s as the Michigan Supreme Court refused to reconsider a lower court decision that the Fair and Equal Michigan campaign failed to gather enough signatures. That means the question will NOT go to the Legislature or appear on the ballot.

“We can’t go any further than the Michigan Supreme Court and so we’re going to continue the fight in the Legislature. Elliott-Larsen still needs to be amended and LGBTQ people need to have equal rights.” say the campaign spokesman, Josh Hovey.

The Supreme Court refused to reconsider a lower court ruling that tossed out signatures gathered electronically.

Josh Hovey says the campaign will turn its attention to backing an opinion from state Attorney General Dana Nessel. It says gender protections in the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act already offer protections against LGBTQ discrimination.