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A bill in the Arizona House would add protection for employees from discrimination based on their sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity or expression.

Existing law protects against discrimination on the basis of "race, color, religion, sex, age, disability or national origin."

House Bill 2002 would remove "sex" from that list and substitute "gender, gender identity or expression or sexual orientation."

This is another bill that shouldn't be necessary, but is.

Employers should not be allowed to refuse to hire a person exclusively because of their sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity or expression, nor should it be legal to fire a person on those grounds.

The bill would also offer protection against on-the-job discrimination.

Arizonans who are gay, lesbian or transgender deserve protection against discrimination, as do we all.

This group of Arizonans has been targeted by an attempt to insert a ban on same-sex marriage into the state Constitution.

Thankfully, that effort failed at the polls.

Gays, lesbians and transgender individuals have also suffered hate crimes and faced open condemnation from political and religious figures.

Rep. Tom Prezelski, a Tucson Democrat, sponsored the bill. He said he was motivated by stories he has heard from constituents and others who have suffered discrimination at work because of their sexual orientation, gender or gender identity.

"I've always thought discrimination against gays is particularly insidious," he said Thursday. "It's about something people are doing in their private lives. It makes one wonder why people think it's any of their business."

Prezelski said he won't be surprised if the bill doesn't get out of committee this session.

But he's committed to it, and so are we.

"I think it's going to end up being a long-term project," he said. "But it's important to keep the issue alive and keep it discussed."

This bill would afford one more group common protection already available to most Arizonans under anti-discrimination law.