According to Nashville’s Out & About newspaper, Nashville Metro council member Megan Barry plans to file a non-discrimination ordinance Tuesday, July 14th that would protect Metro government employees based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The ordinance is similar to one passed by the Shelby County Commission last month. The Nashville chapter of the Tennessee Equality Project has been working toward getting this ordinance to the council since last year.
Though Shelby County beat Nashville in passing such workplace protections, the Nashville Metro Council has dealt with the issue before. In 2003, a similar proposal failed on the second reading when then-vice mayor Howard Gentry cast the tie-breaking vote. Out & About reports that he later apologized for the “no” vote when he ran for mayor in 2007.
It looks like the Nashville ordinance may have some dissenters again this time around. Councilman Michael Craddock is proposing government employees take sensitivity courses as an alternative to workplace protections.
The Nashville City Paper reports that Metro council members Tim Garrett, Ronnie Steine, and Jerry Maynard are also sponsors of the non-discrimination ordinance.