In our spotlight on business report making LGBTQ plus owned businesses more visible in the state, Republican lawmaker Don Guardian, one of the few openly gay members of the legislature, is spearheading a bill to permanently create a state certification process for LGBTQ plus business owners, giving them the potential to win funding contracts and other programs offered by state agencies.

Despite getting widespread support, there were, though, some unlikely critics of the bill that didn't deter Assemblyman Don Guardian, though, who says this legislation is deeply personal.

He joins me now to explain why.

Assemblyman, why was this bill so important to you?

There is already a state certification process that Governor Murphy made possible under an executive order.

So why was this important for you to get through the legislature?

Oh, all of us in the LGBTQ community are grateful for the governor for putting that legislation through.

But I think we want to codify it.

We want to make sure that it's going to stay when the governor leaves in, make sure that the next governor does not change.

What about it for you, though, personally made this a charge you needed to take up?

So I think we've been working very hard for the last 40, 50 years in New Jersey trying to have an equal playing field.

So, you know, we've certainly addressed this work minority with women, with veterans.

And it seemed to be logical to bring in the LGBTQ community to be in the same category.

There was some criticism from one of your colleagues, Assemblyman Brian Bergen, who said, hey, listen, I'm all for making sure that opportunities are there, but this bill is largely symbolic and doesn't, in fact, advance these opportunities.

What do you make of that?

And is there any merit to it?

Well, certainly every individual that was in the assembly is the same as me.

We're representing 200,000 people and everyone has a right to express their opinion.

In this particular case, I think it's clear as we look back just in my lifetime, that it was in a playing field, that we weren't being treated equally, that we were afraid to go out and be seen.

And we're not there anymore.

We just want to make sure that as we continue that work, that we're recognized and that we make sure that there's no discriminatory action taken against us.

I don't think it was a symbolic I think it was a good program.

And, you know, once it's in place in a few years, you're going to be able to to see how many businesses they are that are owned by LGBTQ, A-plus community, that we see how much taxes they pay.

We have to see how many employees they bring in.

So I think it's a it's a good measure.

It's long overdue.

And we're very grateful, and I certainly am, that, you know, of the 80 members in the assembly, only eight voted against it.

What is it?

Give those businesses, though, Assemblyman, that they can't already access.

I know you said creates an even playing field.

But are there certain contracts or state grants and funding that they can apply for that wasn't already there at their disposal?

No.

This simply gives the ability for the state long term.

Can be able to monitor and assure that if you are saying that you are an LGBTQ owned businesses, they were able to certify that very similar to what we do for four of the categories.

Has the governor indicated he'll sign it?

I don't know.

I, I passed by the governor yesterday with a smile in the wind as we sent the S.S. New Jersey into dry dock.

But I've not spoken on him.

I know he's been very supportive of our family in the past.

I certainly invite us as a family in doing Pride Month up to his home.

So I am pretty sure that the governor is going to sign it since it was his legislation that created it in the first place.

So it awaits the governor's signature.

Assemblyman Don Guardian, thanks so much for coming on the show.

Thank you.

Support for the business report provided by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce announcing its New Jersey Business Summit and Expo March 26th and 27 at Harrah's in Atlantic City have been detailed online and NJ Chamber.com.