Wellington Unanimously Passes LGBT-Inclusive Civil Rights Ordinance

http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/wellington-unanimously-passes-lgbt-inclusive-civil-rights-ordinance-7250419 Wellington Unanimously Passes LGBT-Inclusive Civil Rights Ordinance By Chris Joseph, Broward-Palm Beach New Times Staff Writer  Friday, September 11, 2015 Fifty six counties and 392 municipalities across Florida have yet to move forward with prohibiting discrimination against the LGBT community.  But last night, Wellington – the largest village in Florida and the fifth largest municipality in Palm Beach County – unanimously voted to enact an LGBT-inclusive civil rights ordinance establishing that the city opposes discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, genetic information, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, pregnancy, familial status, or age. Palm Beach County Human Rights Council (PBCHRC), which has spurred several cities and municipalities across the state to pass similar ordinance, have been diligently working to persuade elected officials in Wellington to enact the ordinance. Delray Beach passed the ordinance in July, and the group hopes that Lake Clark Shores, and Palm Beach Gardens will soon join in. The movement to get the ordinances passed across the state is part of the PBHRC’s Palm Beach County: You’re Welcome! campaign. “The ‘Palm Beach County: You’re Welcome!’ campaign encourages municipalities to enact LGBT-inclusive civil rights laws,” PBCHRC President and Founder Rand Hoch says. “These laws will educate local residents and business owners of their civil rights and responsibilities. Moreover, the laws will help attract more jobs, revenue and resources to Palm Beach County.” Yet even as more and more cities and municipalities are joining in on passing the ordinance, there’s still more work to do, Hoch says. Florida lawmakers have yet to move forward with prohibiting discrimination against the LGBT community, Hoch tells New Times. “Clearly much work needs to be done,” he says. “Congress has refused to pass a bill since 1974, and Florida has failed to do so since 2007 So all the work needs to be done on the local level – and it still isn’t being done in so many parts of the state.” PBCHRC President and Founder Rand Hoch On August 11, Hoch presented a draft civil rights ordinance and urged the Village Council to enact it. By a vote of 4-1, the Council directed the Village Attorney to prepare an LGBT-inclusive civil rights ordinance for their consideration. Councilwoman Anne Gerwig cast the sole “no” vote. Having met with Hoch following the August 11 vote, Gerwig was persuaded to support the civil rights ordinance on Thursday night, Following Thursday’s vote Wellington joins Atlantic Beach, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Dunedin, Gainesville, Greenacres, Gulfport, Key West, Lake Worth, Leesburg, Miami, Miami Beach, Oakland Park, Orlando, St. Augustine Beach, Tampa, Venice, West Palm Beach and Wilton Manors among the cities and municipalities that have enacted LGBT-inclusive municipal civil rights ordinances. The PBCHRC says the Town of Lake Clarke Shores will be considering an identical LGBT-inclusive civil rights ordinance at their September 15 Town Council meeting. “Much work remains to be done in our state,” added Hoch.

Wellington To Enact Village Civil Rights Ordinance

Media Release: Wellington To Enact Village Civil Rights Ordinance   (Wellington , Florida) — At this evening’s meeting, the Wellington Village Council voted unanimosly to enact a civil rights ordinance establishing, as matter of public policy, that the city opposes discrimination based on  race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, genetic information, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, pregnancy, familial status, or age. The ordinance will become effective if it is approved again at a final hearing which will be held within the next few weeks. With a population of 61,485, Wellington is the largest village in Florida and the fifth largest municipality in Palm Beach County The LGBT-inclusive civil rights ordinance was proposed by the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council (PBCHRC) as part of the organization’s “Palm Beach County: You’re Welcome!” campaign. PBCHRC is a local nonprofit organization which is dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. “The ‘Palm Beach County: You’re Welcome!’ campaign encourages municipalities to enact LGBT-inclusive civil rights laws,” said PBCHRC President and Founder Rand Hoch.  “These laws will educate local residents and business owners of their civil rights and responsibilities. Moreover, the laws will help attract more jobs, revenue and resources to Palm Beach County.” “In contrast to many other states, Florida has no statewide law providing equal rights to gay, lesbian and gender nonconforming individuals,” said Hoch. “Therefore, until Congress or the Florida Legislature takes action, local LGBT advocacy rights organizations such as PBCHRC must continue to work with county and municipal leaders to protect our community form discrimination.” At the Village Council meeting on August 11, Hoch presented a draft civil rights ordinance and urged the Village to enact it. By a vote of 4-1, the Council directed the Village Attorney to prepare an LGBT-inclusive civil rights ordinance for their consideration. Councilwoman Anne Gerwig cast the sole “no” vote.  Having met with Hoch following the August 11 vote, Gerwig was persuaded to support the civil rights ordinance this evening. The ordinance approved at this evening’s meeting was virtually identical to the draft Hoch had prepared.  Village Council Member Anne Gerwig, Vice Mayor John Greene, Village Council Member John T. McGovern, Mayor Bob Margolis and Village Council Member Matt Willhite (Left to Right) “Voting to enact this ordinance was an easy decision,” said Village Council Member John T. McGovern. “Any time I can vote to further ensure all Village residents are treated equally, and that their rights and personal dignity will be protected, I will do so.” Although Florida has sixty-seven counties, only eleven – Alachua, Broward, Hillsborough, Leon, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Volusia Counties – have LGBT-inclusive civil rights ordinances. Once the ordinance is approved on final reading, Wellington will join nineteen other Florida municipalities – Atlantic Beach, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Dunedin, Gainesville,  Greenacres, Gulfport, Key West, Lake Worth, Leesburg, Miami, Miami Beach, Oakland Park, Orlando, St. Augustine Beach, Tampa, Venice, West Palm Beach and Wilton Manors – which have enacted LGBT-inclusive municipal civil rights ordinances. The Town of Lake Clarke Shores will consider an identical LGBT-inclusive civil rights ordinance at the September 15 Town Council meeting. “Currently fifty-six counties and 392 municipalities in Florida have yet to take steps to prohibit discrimination against the LGBT community,” said Hoch. “Much work remains to be done in our state.” ### For immediate release September 10, 2015   For further information, contact: Judge Rand Hoch (retired), PBCHRC President and Founder (561) 358-0105 rand-hoch@usa.net Visit our Website www.pbchrc.org Visit our Blog: pbchrc.blogspot.com/ Follow us on Facebook PBCHRC Follow us on Twitter PBCHRC   The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Inc. is dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. The Council promotes equality through education, advocacy, direct action, impact litigation, and community outreach. Palm  Beach County Human Rights Council Post Office Box 267 West Palm Beach, Florida 33402 (561) 358-0105   www.pbchrc.org               pbchrc@gmail.com

Despite delays, hope on gay rights issues

Official seal of City of Boca Raton (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Marci Shatzman | Sun Sentinel | July 17, 2013

There was no groundswell to grant Boca Raton gay employees domestic partnership benefits or extend the city’s policy to cover their civil rights, despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that married same-sex couples could qualify for federal benefits.

Councilwoman Constance Scott’s decision to bring those and two related matters up came at the end of the last city council meeting. “I recommend bringing all of them forward and having an opportunity to vote on them,” she said.

But after discussions, council directed staff to first ask Wellington, which has a domestic partnership policy, and the state Attorney General. That was seen as delaying tactics. But Scott and Rand Hoch, who heads the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, are still optimistic that Boca Raton city leadership will come around.

“I am hopeful our elected officials will recognize the importance of adopting policies that will provide protection against sex discrimination and gender expression,” Scott said in an email.

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