Indy’s HRO passes
Yesterday the Indianapolis City-County Council approved Proposal 622, the Human Rights Ordinance which adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of classes, such as race, religion and gender, specifically protected from discrimination in the workplace and housing market. This kind of discrimination is already barred in city and state government hiring, but now any business with six or more employees must also do the same (excluding religious institutions and certain nonprofits). Mayor Bart Peterson is expected to sign the proposal this week.
Others blogging the ordinance: Advance Indiana, Bilerico.com, and Taking Down Words, all of which endorsed the proposal.
Off the record conversations suggest that it was able to pass in part because of vote trading for another big measure – merging the police and sherriff departments. Taken together the measures may have a larger impact outside of Indy’s limits than people realize. With similar “human rights” ordinances popping up around the state, and consolidation measures being considered in Evansville and Fort Wayne, all of Indiana is taking note.
