UPDATE: The anti-discrimination ordinance passed by a vote of four to two. The city council meeting started at 6 and lasted until about 11 Tuesday night.
ORIGINAL STORY: At the Meridian City Council meeting Tuesday, one of the topics on the agenda drew a crowd. There was a public hearing for a proposed anti-discrimination ordinance.
The ordinance would attempt to provide equal rights to all citizens regardless of a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
People that were both for and against the ordinance were very passionate about topic.
“There are many members of the LGBT community who still face discrimination today in housing and that is not acceptable. Meridian is such a great city, such a great community,” said Dom Gelsomino, Meridian Resident and for the ordinance.
“They have been used as a sword against people of faith all across the nation. One prominent example is a cake baker in Colorado, Jack Phillips who was forced to pay large fines and lost much of his business because he declined to create a customized wedding cake for a same sex ceremony,” said Brittany Jones, attorney and against the ordinance.
Before the hearing began, one of the city council members asked that everyone in the room remain respectful to one another.
