COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Bipartisan legislation to ban discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community has taken a step forward at the Ohio Statehouse. Senate Bill 132, named the "Ohio Fairness Act," received its first hearing in the Senate Government Oversight committee on Nov. 13. The proposal was reintroduced for the 11th time at the Statehouse during the summer of 2023 and would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. "For the estimated half a million LGBTQ+ Ohioans, fairness is long overdue," said Sen. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood), who has proposed the act in every General Assembly since she was elected in 2011. "This bill would send a message that the LGBTQ+ community is welcome in Ohio and that we are open for business, tourism, and travelers while also recruiting the best and the brightest workers." ‘More important than ever’ to repeal Ohio’s same-sex marriage ban, lawmakers say Ohio is one of more than two dozen states without non-discrimination protections for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Earlier this year, Out Leadership's state clime index labeled Ohio as under "notable risk" for LGBTQ+ discrimination given an individual can be fired from their workplace, denied services and rejected or removed from housing based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Antonio argued during the hearing that S.B. 132, which is co-sponsored by every member of the Senate Democratic Caucus and two Republican senators, is a fair proposal to provide LGBTQ+ people "the same freedom and access to jobs, housing and services as anyone else in Ohio." Ohio Business Competes, a nonpartisan coalition of more than 1,350 businesses, echoes Antonio and has advocated for nondiscrimination policies to attract the best talent. The coalition includes OhioHealth, Huntington, American Electric Power, Jeni's Ice Cream, Ohio State University, Cleveland Clinic and many more companies, universities and institutions. "The inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are the fundamental building blocks of our American democracy," said Antonio. "Ohio has the opportunity through this proposed legislation to provide equal and fair treatment for all of Ohio's citizens." ‘Anti-trans’ bathroom bill passes Ohio Senate, heads to DeWine’s desk The lawmaker noted that S.B. 132 would not create new protected classes on infringe on religious liberty, as it upholds all existing religious exemptions under current Ohio civil rights law. Still, the bill faces an uphill battle at the Statehouse, where lawmakers have also failed to repeal Ohio's dormant same-sex marriage ban, ban anti-LGBTQ+ techniques known as "conversion therapy" and remove antiquated HIV criminalization laws passed in the 1980s. Instead, the Ohio legislature has prioritized an influx of bills that advocates deem anti-LGBTQ+, like the "anti-transgender" Senate Bill 104 which passed on Nov. 13 to ban Ohio's students from using school restrooms that don’t align with their sex assigned at birth. Another, House Bill 68, went into effect in August banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The measure also bans trans female athletes' participation in women's sports.