Those who fought for a non-discrimination ordinance to protect the rights of the LGBT community in Springfield are happy their efforts paid off. City Council passed the stronger of two ordinances before it Monday night. KSMU’s Michele Skalicky has more.
City Council passed the bill on a vote of six to three. It expands protections in the areas of housing, employment and public accommodations.
Stephanie Perkins, deputy director of PROMO, a statewide organization advocating for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality, is pleased with the decision. She says it was overdue.
"We're the third largest city in Missouri. We were the first largest city without these protections, and so this is a huge change, and we're now the first city in southern Missouri with these protections, and I also think that that's, you know, a huge step forward for all of us," she said.
Opponents of the ordinance have said they’ll gather signatures for a referendum petition that, if successful, would place the issue before voters.
Perkins says if that happens, they’ll fight back.
"I think that PROMO will join other organizations and other individuals who know that, now that we have these rights within law, that we have to fight to keep them, so, you know, there'll be a lot of work that has to be done, and there'll be a lot of people and a lot of organizations involved, but we'll work together to talk about the imp0rtance of the law and the benefits that it has to Springfield," she said.
Councilman Craig Fishel was one of the three who voted against the ordinance. He says he’s seen no evidence of discrimination against the LGBT community in Springfield. Mayor Bob Stephens says he voted against the bill to keep his alternate proposal alive if the stronger measure failed. Councilman Jerry Compton also voted no.
