Earlier this week, the Springfield City Council approved a bill expanding the city's non-discrimiantion ordinance to include protections for sexual orientation and gender identity, the Springfield News-Leader reports:
Council Bill 2014-189, which goes into effect immediately, adds the protections in the case of housing, employment and public accommodations. Council members Jan Fisk, Cindy Rushefsky, Craig Hosmer, Doug Burlison, Jeff Seifried and Mike Carroll voted to approve the bill. Council members Bob Stephens, Craig Fishel and Jerry Compton voted against it. […]
“It makes a simple statement of equality that should be a given for anyone who lives in a democracy,” Rushefsky [second left] said. “It's a shame that we have had to struggle for so long to really establish that principle in our daily lives.”
Compton, Fishel and Stephens all spoke before voting against the stronger bill.
“I believe there's insufficient evidence about a lack of existing remedy for these verifiable cases,” Compton [far left] said. “Federal and state laws guard against abuse. I do believe there are inadequate safeguards to protect against wrongful use of the proposed ordinance.”
Contrary to Compton's claims, there are no federal safeguards against LGBT discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations. According to the HRC, Missouri only protects executive branch employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Check out video of the council's vote and reactions to the bill's passage from both sides of the issue, AFTER THE JUMP…(warning: autoplay)
