McDonnell signs non-discrimination order

Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell has faced repeated questions about whether he woud sign a non-discrimination policy for state workers.

So it's curious that he issued on executive order on the subject recently without making a public announcement about it.

Of the seven orders he'd issued as of Wednesday, the public was notified regarding the majority of them, including some dealing with economic development and government reform (two orders) and those connected to emergency declarations due to recent snow storms (three orders).

McDonnell's non-discrimination order does not feature the term "'sexual orientation," which was a component of similar orders from former Govs. Mark Warner and Timothy M. Kaine, both Democrats.

McDonnell and Kaine sparred over that term in 2006 -- McDonnell was Attorney General then, and Kaine was governor -- saying only the General Assembly has the authority to add that language into the law.

The Democrat-controlled Senate this week passed a bill to codify the "sexual orientation" phrase; similar legislation was killed in a House Republican committee this week.

-- Julian Walker

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