|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
County says no to more human rights protections
By SUZETTE PORTER
Article published on Tuesday, June 3, 2008 |
CLEARWATER – A tie vote ended discussion of additional amendments to Pinellas County’s human rights ordinance to include protection for transgendered people.
County Attorney Jim Bennett presented a draft ordinance that would have further amended the ordinance during the June 3 Board of County Commissioners meeting, and he asked commissioners for permission to advertise a public meeting on the proposed draft ordinance.
Commissioners Susan Latvala, Ken Welch and Ronnie Duncan voted yes to advertise the meeting. Commissioners Robert Stewart, Karen Seel and John Morroni voted no. Commissioner Calvin Harris was absent.
Commissioners voted 4-2 on April 22 to approve revisions to the human rights ordinance that added prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment, housing and public accommodations providing protection for homosexual and bisexual people.
Commissioners Robert Stewart and Calvin Harris voted no. Commissioner John Morroni was absent.
A large number of people who attended the April 22 meeting were opposed to the amendment because it did not include the transgendered community. They asked that the revised ordinance be tabled or voted down so that a new all-inclusive ordinance could be passed that would protect the rights of all.
The commissioners asked Bennett and Leon Russell, director of the county’s Human Right’s Office, to further research the matter and bring back findings to the board within six weeks.
At the April 22 meeting, Stewart told the audience that “a vote to authorize advertising (of another public hearing) will be a good indication of (the board’s) willingness to include the transgendered.”
The proposed amendment proposed by Bennett on June 3 would have replaced the word “sex” with the word “gender,” which is defined as including but not limited to sex, pregnancy, childbirth or medical, conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, gender-related self identity, self-image, appearance, expression or behavior, whether or not such gender-related characteristics differ from those associated with the individual’s sex at birth.
Welch and Seel said they were concerned about how the proposed amendment might impact the business community. The ordinance would have applied to any business that employed five people or more. Welch said he would be more supportive of an amendment that dealt only with housing discrimination.
The proposed ordinance would have provided protection against housing discrimination for units of four or more. Single family residences, duplexes and triplexes would not have been included.
The ordinance also would have included certain exclusions for religious organizations. Several people that spoke against the previous amendment approved on April 22 were opposed due to religious concerns.
Stewart said the ordinance as amended on April 22 went “as far as I’m comfortable with.”
Morroni said he would like to see something with simpler language that “didn’t try to make it politically correct for everyone.”
|
Article published on Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Copyright © Tampa Bay Newspapers: All rights reserved. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Tampa Bay Newspapers
9911 Seminole Blvd.
Seminole, FL 33772
(727) 397-5563
Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
|
|
