US: Baton Rouge council votes down anti-discrimination ordinance

Aug 14 2014
Written by Katie Dupere

A Baton Rouge Metro Council has rejected a proposed law banning discrimination against people based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council voted down the fairness ordinance in an 8-4 vote on Wednesday.

Council member Buddy Amoroso said in the meeting before the vote that the law is not needed because the discrimination experienced by LGBT individuals does not meet the same level of discrimination of other minority groups.

Another council member Ronnie Edwards told The Advocate that she voted down the ordinace because it left out too many equally oppressed groups, including women, people living in poverty, people living with HIV and AIDS, overweight people and those who have been convicted of felonies.

Council member John Delgado, who supports the equal rights ordinance, said in the meeting before the vote: “I think we can all agree that what is at stake here is human freedom. Human freedom — do we really want to go on record here today as opposing that?

“I know I don’t, and I won’t.”

Earlier this month, an attempt by church groups to overturn on a similar equality law in Houston with petition signatures was rejected because not enough valid signatures were gathered.