Houston rejects hotly contested antidiscrimination ordinance. Understanding the houston equal rights ordinance outsmart. I have done so and find the ordinance to be an embarrassment. Houstons controversial equal rights ordinance failed by a wide margin tuesday, with voters opting to repeal the law that offered broad nondiscrimination protections, according to. Last week, the houston city council passed the houston equal rights ordinance hero, affording municipal legal protections for the first time to gay and transgendered citizens and visitors. On may 28, 2014, the houston city council passed the houston equal rights ordinance hero which was authored by parker, by a vote of 11 to 6.
By their own count, petition gatherers submitted approximately 35,000 signatures, which were invalidated by a houston jury and a state district judge due to forgeries. Houston equal rights ordinance khou cbs 11 news august 4, 2014. Herothe houston equal rights ordinancepassed last night. For immediate release november 4, 2015 lgbt caucus statement on houstons equal rights ordinance. Houston gets poor marks on lgbt equality report card. The houston equal rights ordinance reflection and choice. After a muchanticipated and longawaited roll call vote, the houston equal rights ordinance hero passed 116, with council members brenda stardig district a, oliver pennington district g, michael kubosh atlarge 3, dwight boykins district d, jack christie atlarge 5, and dave martin district e voting no. Additionally, there is no protection against discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Houston equal rights ordinance by mayor annise parker addeddate 20141017 10. Hero the houston equal rights ordinance reflection and.
Opponents gatherers submitted more than 50,000 signatures in their e orts to repeal hero. The houston city council is set to vote again on mayor annise parkers signature law. Houston mayor, annise parker, has announced that the city along with a broadbased group will ardently defend the houston equal rights ordinance hero from being repealed. Ultraconservative lawmakers there introduced a socalled religious freedom restoration act that legalized discrimination based. The city council is the citys legislative body, with the power to enact and enforce all ordinances and resolutions. Sacramento, ca the california legislative lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lgbt caucus expresses its disappointment in the results of last nights election in houston. Proposition 1 was a referendum held on november 3, 2015, on the anti discrimination ordinance known as the houston equal rights ordinance. May 29, 2014 herothe houston equal rights ordinancepassed last night. No houstonian should be discriminated against based on race, age, pregnancy, religion, military status, sexual orientation or gender identity. Pdf may not load in some browsers, which farright antilgbt groups have depicted as a license for male predators posing as women to invade public rest rooms. Aug 05, 2015 city council voted to affirm houston s equal rights ordinance wednesday, a move that will send the law to voters in november per a texas supreme court ruling. On may 28, 2014, the houston city council passed, by a 116 vote, the houston equal rights ordinance hero, which generally prohibits discrimination within the city limits of houston on the basis of certain protected characteristics in private employment, public accommodations, housing, and city employment, services and contracting practices. Those cities have seen zero cases of men entering womens bathrooms to commit.
Equal rights ordinance heads to voters in november houston. The ordinance was intended to improve antidiscrimination coverage based on sexual orientation and gender identity in houston, specifically in areas such as housing and occupation where no antidiscrimination policy existed. Clifford last week, the houston city council passed the houston equal rights ordinance hero, affording municipal legal protections for the first time to gay and transgendered citizens and visitors. Aug 05, 2015 the houston city council is set to vote again on mayor annise parkers signature law. It was defeated in may 2014, with mayor annise parkers backing, the houston city council passed the ordinance targeted by this veto referendum in an 116 vote. The houston city council passed an equal rights ordinance in may 2014, that would. Its been a bit of circuitous journey for the ordinance designed to protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender. Nov 04, 2015 the thin silver lining to houston s awful vote against lgbt rights. The ordinance focused on protection in employment, housing, city.
The 152nd district court in downtown houston, where the houston equal rights ordinance trial was heard. The thin silver lining to houstons awful vote against lgbt rights. Proposition 1 was a referendum held on november 3, 2015, on the antidiscrimination ordinance known as the houston equal rights ordinance hero. Houston approves equal rights ordinance with lgbt protections. The houston equal rights ordinance has been at the center of a political battle for close to two years and it appears that houston voters could make it the law of the city.
Residents of the city of houston filed a referendum petition requesting the city council to reconsider and repeal its equal rights ordinance and, if it did not repeal the ordinance, to put it to popular vote. Lulac councils call for support of houston equal rights. Equal rights ordinance case decision will be close. The greater houston partnership works to make houston the best place to live, work and build a business. Apr 30, 2014 equal rights ordinance summary chapter 17 article i general familial status, genetic information and pregnancy added to protected characteristics, which already include, in various portions of the code, race, color, national origin, marital status, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability and military service. Equal rights ordinance case decision will be close signature count at crux of equal rights feud katherine driessen april, 2015 updated. Houston approves equal rights ordinance with lgbt protections the ordinance will prohibit discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, and public accommodations in the city. Mayor parker had certified that there exists a public emergency requiring that this ordinance be passed finally on the date of its introduction. This map shows the different council districts in unique colors. Nov 03, 2015 a referendum on the antidiscrimination ordinance known as the houston equal rights ordinance hero was on the ballot for houston voters in harris county, texas, on november 3, 2015.
After more than eight months of legal drama, a lawsuit surrounding the houston equal rights ordinance hero is set to go before a jury, a somewhat unusual move for a lawsuit of this kind going. Hero takes a contentious social issue and does nothing but immerse it in an absurd brew of unintelligent definitions and unresolved tensions. Houston equal rights ordinance khou cbs 11 news august 4, 2014 duration. Hero prohibits private employers from discriminating against persons based on sexual orientation and gender identity, among other traits and statuses.
Houston equal rights ordinance fails by wide margin. Houston equal rights ordinance faces opposition through. Equal rights ordinance summary chapter 17 article i general familial status, genetic information and pregnancy added to protected characteristics, which already include, in various portions of the code, race, color, national origin, marital status, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability and military service. In a 61 percent to 39 percent split, houston voters chose to strike down equal rights. When voting on the houston equal rights ordinance, remember indiana.
Houston voters rejected the houston equal rights ordinance on tuesday by a margin of 61 to 39 percent. The journey of houstons equal rights ordinance has been long and full of plot twistsbut it could all be over soon. That chapter 17 of the code of ordinances, houston, texas, is hereby amended in its entirety to read as set forth in exhibit a, attached hereto. Sermon subpoena request was overbroad, houston mayor. Houston equal rights ordinance rejected by voters known as hero, the measure would have banned discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, race and a dozen other categories. That is why i am glad to see mayor parker and city council taking up. The city council refused, claiming the petition was invalid. But most of all, i love that houston is a city that welcomes everyone with open arms. Opponents claim that men will be able to assault women in restrooms. Aug 15, 2015 the 152nd district court in downtown houston, where the houston equal rights ordinance trial was heard.
Municodenext, the industrys leading search application with over 3,300 codes and growing. Today the houston chronicle urged us to read the houston equal rights ordinance hero, which will be on the ballot in houston this november. Houston, texas could soon pass hero, the houston equal rights ordinance, which would cover employment, city contracting, housing, public accommodations and private employment at businesses with at least 50 employees on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity. After the jury announced its verdict late friday afternoon, lawyers for both sides were. Indiana provides a lesson on the equal rights ordinance. Its been a bit of circuitous journey for the ordinance designed to protect the rights of. Houston s controversial equal rights ordinance failed by a wide margin tuesday, with voters opting to repeal the law that offered broad nondiscrimination protections, according to incomplete and. Houston equal rights ordinance the only upside to the vote. Houston passed its equal rights ordinance last night. Houston equal rights ordinance the only upside to the. City council voted to affirm houstons equal rights ordinance wednesday, a move that will send the law to voters in november per a texas supreme court ruling.
Jun 04, 2014 after a muchanticipated and longawaited roll call vote, the houston equal rights ordinance hero passed 116, with council members brenda stardig district a, oliver pennington district g, michael kubosh atlarge 3, dwight boykins district d, jack christie atlarge 5, and dave martin district e voting no. Mayor parker and city council passed the houston equal rights ordinance hero, starting the fight anew. Houston equal rights ordinance nbc news houston kprc channel 2 august 15, 2014. Houston equal rights ordinance fails by wide margin houston. Opponents of the bill have submitted 30,000 verified signatures, passing the 17,269 required signatures to place the referendum on the november ballot. Lgbt caucus statement on houstons equal rights ordinance. Lulac councils call for support of houston equal rights ordinance hero october 28, 2015 houston, texas in 2014, the houston city council passed the houston equal rights ordinance hero, which prohibited discrimination against houstons 2. Sign the pledge now to protect houstons equal rights ordinance. Nov 03, 2015 equal rights activists were dealt a blow on tuesday night as voters in houston resoundingly rejected an antidiscrimination ordinance that was the subject of a fierce battle that garnered national. The greater houston partnership works to make houston the best place to live, work and build a. Equal rights activists were dealt a blow on tuesday night as voters in houston resoundingly rejected an antidiscrimination ordinance that was the subject of a fierce battle that garnered national. June 27, 2014, the ordinance took effect july 2014, area pastors organized a petition drive, turning in 31,000 signatures.
Dallas and other cities in texas stepped into the breach and adopted laws similar to houstons equal rights ordinance. Houstons equal rights ordinance, explained texas monthly. Houston unites is the broad coalition working to protect houston s equal rights ordinance by urging houstonians to vote yes on proposition 1. Locke lord understanding houstons new equal rights ordinance. Houston equal rights ordinance rejected by voters wsj. Antilgbt groups ramp up transphobia before houston vote. The list of acronyms and abbreviations related to hero houston equal rights ordinance. Click to share this page click for pdf click to print this page hero prohibits private employers from discriminating against persons based on sexual orientation and gender identity, among other traits and statuses. A referendum on the antidiscrimination ordinance known as the houston equal rights ordinance hero was on the ballot for houston voters in harris county, texas, on november 3, 2015. Houston voters reject equal rights ordinance jurist. Pdf may not load in some browsers, which farright antilgbt groups have depicted as a license for male. City of houston antidiscrimination hero veto referendum. Pro bono lawyers representing the city of houston used overly broad language when they subpoenaed sermons by pastors who opposed the citys equal.
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