The Westerville City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting unlawful discrimination of all people.
With a vote of six to one, the city of Westerville became the 27th city in Ohio to pass an ordinance that explicitly bans the discrimination of all people, including members of the LGBTQ community.
The city council chamber was packed as the ordinance went through three readings with amendments after each and a community comment session.
The ordinance was passed by the executive session of the council, but there was a disagreement over what the exceptions to religious institutions should be. The definition was described as overly broad and contrary to the wants of the community. The definition described a religious institution as
“a not for profit church or integrated auxiliary of a church, as those terms are used by the United States Internal Revenue Service and includes any school that incorporates substantial religious teachings or religious practices of that church in that school.”
John Gatiss, a citizen activist who was on the forefront of the push to pass the ordinance, said the problem is that the community wanted a narrow exception for the ordinance and the original language was overly broad. Gatiss laid out this problem in an email to the community prior to the council meeting:
“This is an issue for a couple reasons: By using this definition, the city's employer exemptions appear to be overly broad and potentially exclude religious-affiliated organizations like Otterbein University and WARM (or an organization operating similarly to WARM).”
Councilors Cumming and Heckman presented amendments to change to the federal definition.
The amendments were passed in a five to two vote, despite concern from councilors Bokros and Davey that this ordinance would open the local government to mass litigation, forcing the city to choose what or what is not a religious activity.
Members from the group Equality Ohio showed up to support the new ordinance. Executive Director Alana Jochum handed out flyers to attendees and spoke to T&C after the ordinance was passed.
Jochum said she was “elated to see the city of Westerville choose to protect its LGBTQ citizens. Every city that chooses to add these protections bolsters the support for the LGBTQ equality under the law.”
For Councilwoman Cumming, the long road to passing the ordinance was well worth it.
Cumming said, “I am beyond proud to be able to sit up here and to get to vote to do that. It is indeed a great night in Westerville, a historic night in Westerville.”
The ordinance will officially go into effect on Dec. 19.
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