On Friday, June 26th, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of full marriage equality for all Americans.  Unfortunately, several counties in Kansas employ chief judges who refused to allow marriage licenses to be issued.

Many couples were also denied requests to change their drivers’ licenses to reflect their legal names, and were told name changes won’t be allowed until a direct order comes from the Kansas state Department of Revenue.

On Tuesday, June 30th, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt dismissed his suit against Johnson County Chief Judge Moriarty, effectively ending one of two state legal challenges to same-sex marriages in Kansas. The only legal challenge still pending is a Federal lawsuit against the state constitutional marriage ban.  There is currently a pending request for summary judgement from ACLU attorneys.

Equality Kansas chased conflicting rumors all day, and now is confirming that same-sex couples can get their name changes processed on their drivers licenses, and that state employees can enroll their same-sex spouses in their state employee health plans.  This news has come to us from Equality Kansas members and others in Kansas’ LGBT population throughout the day.

On April 8th, HRC Kansas City hosted the 9^th Annual Corporate Celebration of Equality honoring major Kansas City area employers committed to LGBT equality in the workplace. The event attracts employers committed to equality from states all across the Midwest. Twenty-four companies in total were recognized for their Corporate Equality Index (CEI) score running the gamut from Hallmark and Principal Financial to Sprint and local law firm Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP.

Kansas City Mayor Sly James received an award on behalf of his work with the city council to achieve a 100 on the Municipal Equality Index (MEI). Mayor James made news in February with his response to Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, who rolled backed protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender state workers. His social media tweet, “LGBT COMMUNITY!  You are welcome in Kansas City!” instantly went viral and speaks to his dedication to fostering an environment of inclusion.

Cerner Corporation played host and was able to highlight its 90% score on HRC’s CEI. Three healthcare companies also were recognized for receiving the designation of “Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality” via HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) — Children’s Mercy Hospitals & Clinics, Research Medical Center & St. Luke’s Health System.

Companies honored and present to receive their awards included Anheuser-Busch (100%), Black & Veatch (65%), Bryan Cave, LLP (100%), Cerner Corporation (90%), Enterprise Holdings (65%), Hallmark (90%), Husch Blackwell, LLP (90%), Nestle Purina PetCare (95%), Principal Financial (90%), Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP (100%), Sprint (100%), Stinson Leonard Street (90%), Union Pacific (70%), and Waddell & Reed (65%)

Companies who are no present by achieved high enough scores to be recognized included AMC Entertainment (100%), Ameren (85%), Brown Shoe Company (100%), ConAgra Foods (100%), Emerson Electric (80%), Express Scripts (70%), Fleishman-Hillard Inc. (80%), Monsanto (100%), Polsinelli Shughart (70%)Thompson Coburn LLP (100%), The Laclede Group (80%), and Rockwell Collins (95%).

Over the last decade, the landscape on LGBT rights has shifted rapidly across the nation. What was once considered unthinkable is becoming increasingly commonplace, from gay men and women being allowed to serve openly in the military to the potential for the U.S. Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage this year in all 50 states.

Despite that change, 29 states — including Missouri and Kansas — have no statewide law barring discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. That means a person can be fired from a job, evicted from an apartment or kicked out of a restaurant for being gay or being perceived to be gay.

Lawmakers were discussing a bill making it illegal in Missouri to discriminate against someone based on sexual orientation or gender identity just weeks after voters in Springfield narrowly voted to repeal a local nondiscrimination ordinance.

Resistance at the Statehouse has forced Missouri gay rights advocates to turn to local government. More than a dozen cities and counties in Missouri, including Kansas City and Jackson County, have passed ordinances prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.