ATLANTA (AP) - A Georgia House panel has approved a bill preventing businesses from discriminating based on race, country of origin or religion.
The House Judiciary subcommittee on Monday sent the proposal on to the full committee. The committee's chairman, Rep. Wendell Willard, is a co-sponsor.
Rep. Rich Golick, a Smyrna Republican sponsoring the bill, says it fills a gap in state law and gives people who feel they have been discriminated against a faster solution than the federal government.
Georgia is one of five states without a public accommodation law.
Gay-rights advocates have questioned why the bill doesn't include protection for gay or transgender people. Democrats tried to add both groups, along with protecting people from discrimination for age, sex or veteran status. The effort failed without support from Republicans.
