Brock Vergakis - The Associated Press | Posted: Tuesday, October 6, 2009 4:20 pm
SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has met with a gay rights advocacy group for the first time since saying he opposes providing legal protections for gay and transgender people.
Herbert took office in mid-August after Jon Huntsman resigned to become U.S. ambassador to China.
Within weeks of his inauguration, Herbert said he doesn't think it should be illegal to discriminate against someone for being gay or transgender.
In Utah, it's currently legal to fire someone or evict them from housing for being gay. Herbert contends that discriminating against gay people is wrong -- but says there's no need for a law to prevent it.
Leaders of the gay rights advocacy group Equality Utah say Herbert told them Tuesday he's open to having a dialogue about stopping discrimination.