A public hearing to discuss a proposed LGBT human rights ordinance in unincorporated areas of St. Joseph County won’t be happening Tuesday after all.
A religious group raised concerns about whether it would be exempt from the new ordinance, so the council is moving the ordinance back to committee for further discussion, according to WNDU.
The ordinance would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It also declares some new “civil rights”, including giving LGBTQs equal access to education and employment. It also seeks to offer fair access to accommodations and housing, whether someone is buying or renting real estate.
The ordinance would be more strict than South Bend’s. It exempts 501(c)3 nonprofits, private membership clubs, state governmental entities, and other groups, such as schools, that hire employees of a particular religion. For instance, the University of Notre Dame is exempt in the new law, as it is South Bend’s.
