Houstonians who were hoping that they might go to bed with equal protections for LGBT people will have to wait at least two more weeks.
The Houston City council tabled the HERO vote for two more weeks, but they did address some important amendments.
The council voted to apply the ordinance to companies with more than 15 employees, down from 50 in the original bill. The council also passed an amendment to make sure it would not interfere with senior or veteran discounts.
Changes to problematic language about the denial of public accommodations to transgender people were discussed, but not yet voted on.
Monica Roberts of TransGriot writes:
It was a little after 7 PM before I finally got my turn to speak, and Dee Dee Watters followed me with a rousing sermon like speech that even the faith-based haters found themselves saying Amen to.
At 9 AM CDT City Council reconvenes to vote on amendments and eventually the HERO as the haters desperately try to stall it so they can lie their way to more opposition of the much needed human rights ordinance.
We could use some calls in favor of the HERO. When you call, say that you support the Equal Rights Ordinance, that you support the amendments offered by Council members Gallegos and Gonzalez and that you oppose the Pennington amendments!