Wednesday, March 14, 2012

An Island Of Reason, In A Sea Of Insanity

Omaha city council passed a LGBT Anti-Discrimination law last night and now it goes on to the mayor to sign.
Omaha passes LGBT ordinance
KVNO News
By Robyn Wisch
March 13th, 2012

Omaha, NE – The Omaha City Council passed a historic ordinance to expand legal protections to Omaha’s gay and transgender community Tuesday.
[…]
The ordinance was introduced by Councilman Ben Gray. It would amend Omaha’s existing anti-discrimination laws to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to a list of protected classes.
[…]
With the ordinance’s passage, Omaha joined the majority of large cities. Out of the top 50, 35 already have LGBT protections on the books. Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle released a statement following the vote, saying he applauds the council’s actions. “Omaha is a city that welcomes diversity, embraces fresh ideas,” he said, “and is open for business to everyone.”
But in the Nebraska legislature, there is a bill to limit municipalities from having a more inclusive anti-discrimination laws than the state law. Nebraska’s LB912 reads in part…
A county, municipality, or other political subdivision shall not adopt or enforce a local law, ordinance, resolution, rule, or policy that creates a protected classification unless such classification is contained in the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Nebraska Fair Employment Practice Act, the Nebraska Fair Housing Act, or sections 20-126 to 20-143 or 48-1219 to 48-1227. This subsection does not apply to a law, ordinance, resolution, rule, or policy that applies only to the employees of the county, municipality, or other political subdivision. (3) Any local law, ordinance, resolution, rule, or policy adopted before the effective date of this act that violates subsection (2) of this section is null and void.
Will the island of sanity be sweep away by the intolerants of the homophobes and transphobes?

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