Indianapolis Entertains Reintroduction of Gay Discrimination Ban
(Indianapolis, IN) – Seven months after a proposal to ban discrimination against gays and lesbians in the workplace and housing market failed to pass, the Indianapolis City-County Council, supporters reintroduced the measure this week.
The proposal could put the council back in the spotlight by addressing a divisive issue just a week after efforts to merge city and county police forces failed in a mostly partisan vote.
Jackie Nytes, the Democrat who also sponsored the first gay-rights effort in April, now has 12 sponsors, including herself. She needs three more votes to win a 15-vote majority in the 29-member council and said hopes to land those through steady lobbying over the next few weeks.
“There's so much support for it in the community, I'm surprised some council members are hesitating,"” Nytes said, adding she has collected 1,200 letters backing the plan.
The same proposal to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity failed in April on an 18-11 vote that crossed party lines.
Current laws protect all workers from discrimination based on race, religion, age and several other factors. The anti-discrimination ordinance would protect LGBT people from being fired or denied housing because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
City and state employee hiring policies already include such protections, and the ordinance would extend the same to any businesses with six or more employees, excluding religious institutions and certain nonprofits.
In Indiana, Bloomington, Michigan City, West Lafayette and Fort Wayne already have passed similar ordinances.
Scott Schneider, a Republican opponent of the proposal, said the proposal was being introduced illegally. The council was holding a special meeting to vote on an emergency child welfare tax measure, and Schneider said the agenda couldn't include additional topics.
“They're trying to do this quick, because the public is against it,” Schneider said.
Council President Steve Talley, a Democrat, said he would allow the measure to be introduced, rendering Schneider's complaint moot. It could be voted on as early as Dec. 12.
Scott Keller, one of two Republican council members sponsoring Proposal 622, said he thinks a series of small-group meetings between several council members and gay constituents have helped change the minds of some people who previously opposed the measure.
He said it was significant that 17 council members supported Talley's decision to allow the proposal's reintroduction.
“A lot of us would like to end the year with the passage of this (proposal),” Keller said. Schneider said supporters are asking for a special legal class for a group that does not fit the federal definition of civil rights.
As many as 100 gay rights supporters attended the meeting wearing pins reading "Basic rights for all."
Bil Browning, a coordinator for gay-rights activists, said he's glad to see the measure come before the council again.
"We've done a lot of lobbying and I believe the effort is about to pay off," he said.
Article provided by www.GayLinkContent.com. For more information,contact us at info@gaylinkcontent.com . Reprinted with permission by 4 Gays Web Hosting and 1 Body GLBT Christian Resources
The proposal could put the council back in the spotlight by addressing a divisive issue just a week after efforts to merge city and county police forces failed in a mostly partisan vote.
Jackie Nytes, the Democrat who also sponsored the first gay-rights effort in April, now has 12 sponsors, including herself. She needs three more votes to win a 15-vote majority in the 29-member council and said hopes to land those through steady lobbying over the next few weeks.
“There's so much support for it in the community, I'm surprised some council members are hesitating,"” Nytes said, adding she has collected 1,200 letters backing the plan.
The same proposal to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity failed in April on an 18-11 vote that crossed party lines.
Current laws protect all workers from discrimination based on race, religion, age and several other factors. The anti-discrimination ordinance would protect LGBT people from being fired or denied housing because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
City and state employee hiring policies already include such protections, and the ordinance would extend the same to any businesses with six or more employees, excluding religious institutions and certain nonprofits.
In Indiana, Bloomington, Michigan City, West Lafayette and Fort Wayne already have passed similar ordinances.
Scott Schneider, a Republican opponent of the proposal, said the proposal was being introduced illegally. The council was holding a special meeting to vote on an emergency child welfare tax measure, and Schneider said the agenda couldn't include additional topics.
“They're trying to do this quick, because the public is against it,” Schneider said.
Council President Steve Talley, a Democrat, said he would allow the measure to be introduced, rendering Schneider's complaint moot. It could be voted on as early as Dec. 12.
Scott Keller, one of two Republican council members sponsoring Proposal 622, said he thinks a series of small-group meetings between several council members and gay constituents have helped change the minds of some people who previously opposed the measure.
He said it was significant that 17 council members supported Talley's decision to allow the proposal's reintroduction.
“A lot of us would like to end the year with the passage of this (proposal),” Keller said. Schneider said supporters are asking for a special legal class for a group that does not fit the federal definition of civil rights.
As many as 100 gay rights supporters attended the meeting wearing pins reading "Basic rights for all."
Bil Browning, a coordinator for gay-rights activists, said he's glad to see the measure come before the council again.
"We've done a lot of lobbying and I believe the effort is about to pay off," he said.
Article provided by www.GayLinkContent.com. For more information,contact us at info@gaylinkcontent.com . Reprinted with permission by 4 Gays Web Hosting and 1 Body GLBT Christian Resources
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