Gay rights remains a divisive topic at the state Legislature, where the House of Delegates is weighing a Senate-passed bill that would add sexual orientation to the classes protected under the state's Human Rights and Fair Housing acts.

The question dominated a Tuesday public hearing in the House chamber, though the pending bill would also add age and disability to the latter law.

Barbara Steinke's employer takes no issue with her sexual orientation. A court stenographer, she spoke of being free to share stories about her longtime partner, their school-age son and "all the little things that we don't think about when we're hiding who we are."

"What this bill really is about is quality of life," Steinke said. "Quality of life is living without fear. Fear that one might lose their job because of their sexual orientation is a heavy burden."

Steinke noted that a number of West Virginia employers, including the city of Charleston, have embraced such protections "and the sky hasn't fallen." She added that she knows people "who fear they would be fired if their employers knew they were gay."

But opponents maintain that homosexuality is a choice, and as such does not qualify for protection.

"You are subject to homosexual acts in prison today, whatever the reason, but as soon as people go out of prison, many of them never return to that lifestyle," said Ray Lambert of the West Virginia Family Foundation.

Lambert warned that the bill would have the state following the lead of California, where "Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has recently put into law and mandated that homosexuality be taught from kindergarten up through grade 12 as an acceptable lifestyle."

Schwarzenegger signed a measure into law in October that would bar discrimination based on a student's sexual orientation, and require teachers and administrators to enforce anti-bias laws to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender students. Christian groups have sued to overturn the law, which advocates argue clarifies the 1999 addition of sexual orientation to California's hate-crimes law.

West Virginia's Human Rights Act already covers "race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, blindness, disability or familial status." The housing law addresses race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, familial status and national origin, and blindness and handicap in lieu of disability.

The House Judiciary Committee has yet to decide whether to take up the bill, Chairwoman Carrie Webster said Tuesday.

The Senate passed the bill unanimously last week. Several of Tuesday's speakers who oppose the bill alleged several senators were misled into supporting the bill. Webster, D-Kanawha, challenged those allegations following the public hearing.

Webster said her Senate counterpart, Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, "stands by the provisions in the bill, and he led his committee and the Senate accordingly."

Gay rights remains a divisive topic at the state Legislature, where the House of Delegates is weighing a Senate-passed bill that would add sexual orientation to the classes protected under the state's Human Rights and Fair Housing acts.

The question dominated a Tuesday public hearing in the House chamber, though the pending bill would also add age and disability to the latter law.

Barbara Steinke's employer takes no issue with her sexual orientation. A court stenographer, she spoke of being free to share stories about her longtime partner, their school-age son and "all the little things that we don't think about when we're hiding who we are."

"What this bill really is about is quality of life," Steinke said. "Quality of life is living without fear. Fear that one might lose their job because of their sexual orientation is a heavy burden."

Steinke noted that a number of West Virginia employers, including the city of Charleston, have embraced such protections "and the sky hasn't fallen." She added that she knows people "who fear they would be fired if their employers knew they were gay."

But opponents maintain that homosexuality is a choice, and as such does not qualify for protection.

"You are subject to homosexual acts in prison today, whatever the reason, but as soon as people go out of prison, many of them never return to that lifestyle," said Ray Lambert of the West Virginia Family Foundation.

Lambert warned that the bill would have the state following the lead of California, where "Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has recently put into law and mandated that homosexuality be taught from kindergarten up through grade 12 as an acceptable lifestyle."

Schwarzenegger signed a measure into law in October that would bar discrimination based on a student's sexual orientation, and require teachers and administrators to enforce anti-bias laws to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender students. Christian groups have sued to overturn the law, which advocates argue clarifies the 1999 addition of sexual orientation to California's hate-crimes law.

West Virginia's Human Rights Act already covers "race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, blindness, disability or familial status." The housing law addresses race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, familial status and national origin, and blindness and handicap in lieu of disability.

The House Judiciary Committee has yet to decide whether to take up the bill, Chairwoman Carrie Webster said Tuesday.

The Senate passed the bill unanimously last week. Several of Tuesday's speakers who oppose the bill alleged several senators were misled into supporting the bill. Webster, D-Kanawha, challenged those allegations following the public hearing.

Webster said her Senate counterpart, Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, "stands by the provisions in the bill, and he led his committee and the Senate accordingly."