A measure that would allow Nevada voters to reverse a state ban on recognizing same-sex marriages passed 12-9 in the Nevada Senate last night.  The legislation now heads to the state House.  It will need to be ratified once again in the next legislative session before the question appears on a statewide ballot.

The debate in the Nevada Senate turned personal when Sen. Kelvin Atkinson told his colleagues he is gay, according to a report in the Las Vegas Sun:

“I’m black. I’m gay,” Atkinson said in a trembling voice after describing his father’s interracial re-marriage that would have been banned earlier in American history. “I know this is the first time many of you have heard me say that I am a black, gay male.”

Atkinson went on to rebut the argument that gay marriage threatens any other definition of marriage. “If this hurts your marriage, then your marriage was in trouble in the first place,” he said.

Atkinson’s coming out brings to five the total number of out state lawmakers in Nevada.

Openly gay and lesbian state lawmakers are spearheading efforts in multiple states to pass laws protecting transgender people.

In California, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (pictured) is fighting to protect California’s transgender students from discrimination in schools. Last week, he introduced legislation that would grant students the right to use public school bathrooms and participate on sports teams that match their expressed genders, according to  the Associated Press.

Discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation is already illegal in California, but Ammiano’s bill would be the first in the country to specifically address transgender students’ right to use the restroom and join the sports team that corresponds with their gender identity.

Just next door, Nevada law does not currently protect people from discrimination based on gender identity. Pat Spearman, an openly lesbian state Senator, introduced a bill Monday that would make Nevada the next state to include gender identity in its hate crimes statute.

Sen. Spearman, who said she was the victim of an attack when she was 21, emphasized the importance of adding gender identity to existing hate crimes laws. “Whenever crimes are committed by perpetrators and they are clearly committed only on the basis of a particular aspect of that person’s characteristics, then I think justice requires us to act,” she told a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee.  The Las Vegas Sun reported that supporters from the community filled the room, overflowing into the hall. No one present opposed the bill.

In Maryland, openly gay state Sen. Rich Madaleno and ally state Sen. Jamie Raskin have proposed the Fairness for All Marylanders Act of 2013, which would add gender identity to the list of protected identities under the state’s hate crimes statute. The measure died in committee in 2012, but supporters are confident that the important bill will pass this year.

“Many of the most vulnerable people in the LGBT community are left with no legal protections in our state laws,” Sen. Madaleno said. “I come before you today as the sponsor of Senate Bill 449 with my good friend from Montgomery County and ask you to fix this omission and ensure that all Marylanders, including my transgender sisters and brothers, are afforded protection under our anti-discrimination laws.”

Governor O’Malley told the Washington Blade last week that he is “absolutely” reaching out to lawmakers to urge them to pass the bill.

Photo: Sacramento Bee

Nevada and Maine could see the number of openly gay state lawmakers triple after Victory Fund-endorsed candidates advanced in primary elections last night.

In Maine House primaries, Andrew McLean and Terry Morrison were unopposed, while Matt Moonen (pictured) convincingly beat his opponent.  All three Democrats are running in Democratic-performing districts.

In Nevada, David Parks was unopposed in his primary for reelection to the State Senate.  Andrew Martin and James Healey won their Democratic primaries for seats in the Nevada Assembly.

“These wins are great news for LGBT Mainers and Nevadans,” said Tiffany Muller, vice president for political affairs at the Victory Fund.  ”Each state is now a step closer to strengthening LGBT representation in their state legislatures.”

UPDATE:  One more big win last night for LGBT candidates, as an out lesbian beat an incumbent state senator in Nevada.  Patricia Spearman will become Nevada’s first and only openly LGBT woman elected to the state legislature, as she faces no Republican opponent this fall.   She will also be one of just a handful of openly LGBT African Americans elected to state legislatures in the U.S.