Lincoln City Council to vote on whether to rescind Fairness Ordinance

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Nearly four months after passing the Fairness Ordinance, the Lincoln City Council will vote on whether to rescind it at Monday’s meeting. It’s being brought forward by council member Richard Meginnis.

“It needs to be brought forward this summer to get rid of the divisiveness in the city,” Meginnis said.

Meginnis said he wanted to bring this forward last month, but the June 13 meeting is the first time all seven council members will be together.

“It’s become a rallying cry for one side and the other to, in a way, go to war with each other. That’s not the way Lincoln should be.”

Meginnis was one of two members absent on Feb. 14 when the Lincoln City Council voted 5-0 to pass the Fairness Ordinance.

The ordinance, brought forward by councilmember Sandra Washington, attempted to employment discrimination laws. It would’ve revised Lincoln’s city code by adding anti-discrimination protections for sexual orientation, gender identity, and military or veteran status.

Shortly after the ordinance passed, the Nebraska Family Alliance launched a successful petition drive, requiring the council to either put the issue to a public vote or rescind it. Meginnis said he signed that petition.

Councilmember James Michael Bowers supports the idea of the Fairness Ordinance but believes putting it on a ballot right now might backfire. He believes it should be rescinded.

“The LGBTQ+ community will continue to fight for equal protections for all residents of Lincoln. We will do this in a way that pushes forward equality while shielding our community from ongoing attacks on our freedom. We’ve seen what happens when we erase LGBTQ+ children from protections for their young lives to grow. Let’s not make that mistake again; let’s not make the mistake of erasing children from the protection they trust us to provide them.

The majority of attacks on Title 11 or the “fairness ordinance” are based on lies and scare tactics against our transgender nonbinary community members. We must put transgender and nonbinary voices at the center of next steps for Title 11 because transgender and nonbinary individuals will be targeted by those whose actions create lifelong harm to our LGBTQ+ neighbors by halting progress of achieving protections, recognition, and the ability to come out of the closet just so they can live their lives.

The Council has heard from several transgender and nonbinary community leaders about how to proceed. After hard conversations and some devastating losses in our community the message is clear, we must rescind the ordinance, continue to strengthen our relationships with honest conversations, support, and acceptance, and move forward as a united community for all, for our LGBTQ+ students/parents/peer and for our allies.

After hard conversations and some devastating losses in our community the message is clear, we must rescind the ordinance, continue to strengthen our relationships with honest conversations, support, and acceptance, and move forward as a united community for all, for our LBTQ+ students/parents/peers and for our allies.”

James Michael Bowers, Lincoln City Council member

In response to Monday’s agenda item, the group “Lincoln For All” said the desire to rescind the Fairness Ordinance is not representative of all members of the city council.

“The fight for equality has been long, and we will remain on the right side of history fighting for people in marginalized communities who deserve fair treatment in all aspects of life,” said councilmember Jane Raybould, who is an LFA coalition member.

Washington criticized the timing of the vote.

“During Pride Month, and at the start of Lincoln’s Pride Week - is especially disappointing, and shows a lack of respect for the LGBTQIA+ community,” she said in a statement “A repeal of Title 11 slows our progress on non-discrimination for veterans, people with disabilities, and based on race.”

Meginnis told 10/11 NOW he doesn’t want this to be the end of the Fairness Ordinance, but that it needs to be reworked.

“I’m excited if we can clean this one up,” he said.

Monday’s city council meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m.