Nebraska Bill LB 19 May Prevent Omaha's LGBT Anti-Discrimination Ordinance From Taking Effect

Details: Category: LGBT Issues; Published on Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:40; Written by Lara Landis; Hits: 535

A bill before the Nebraska legislature would cause the non-discrimination laws to be uniform across the state. While a uniform law sounds like a good idea, Nebraska law does not prevent discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. An ordinance passed by the city of Omaha does make discrimination against people on the basis of sexual orientation, illegal.

Senator Beau McCoy, LB 192's sponsor said the bill is designed to make discrimination laws uniform across the state."If something is discrimination, why does it stop [being discrimination] at the city line”?

Ben Gray, a city councilman from Omaha, may agree with McCoy’s statement, but he has concerns about the actual intent of the bill. Gray said the bill is an attempt to prevent an expansion of protection to LGBT residents of Nebraska. He claims Omaha’s city council passed the law to deal with a problem of discrimination within the city. One third of Nebraskans who belong to a gender minority or a sexual minority experienced discrimination, according to a 2010 survey conducted by the University of Nebraska.