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Florida's Leon County, home of the state capital, voted 5-2 in favor of a sweeping human rights ordinance that would prevent discrimination and offer more protections for members of the LGTB community.
Florida's Leon County, home of the state capital, voted 5-2 in favor of a sweeping human rights ordinance that would prevent discrimination and offer more protections for members of the LGTB community, the Tallahassee Democrat is reporting.
The law will protect against employment discrimination, will offer equal access to public accommodations, fair housing and general provisions. The revisions would include protections for gender expression; directly affecting members of the transgender community.
Hundreds of supporters and opponents showed up to the city meeting to voice their support for and opposition against the new law. Commissioners in the county have received hundreds of calls by concerned residents, business owners and members of faith based organizations. Some angry residents threatened to vote against the commissioners this November if they voted for the provision.
Pam Olsen, an ordained pastor and Director of the International House of Prayer told the Democrat, "This is something that should not even be coming up as a vote; I do not think that sexual orientation and gender identification should be a protected class."
But a majority of the commissioners disagreed with Olsen, most not worried about losing their jobs in November.
Cliff Thaell, an incumbent on the seven-member Leon County Commission said, "Elections are an opportunity for Americans to express themselves. I'm just doing my job. My job is to make sure that government provides equal opportunity."
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