PLANO, Texas — Four Texas GOP lawmakers from Plano, Texas, plan to introduce legislation that would bar cities and counties from adopting ordinances prohibiting discrimination against LGBT people, reports the Texas Observer.
The proposed measure would nullify existing LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances in cities that are home to roughly 7.5 million Texans, more than one-quarter of the state’s population.
Texas Pastor Council Executive Director David Welch, whose group is leading efforts to repeal equal rights ordinances in Plano and Houston, told the Observer the bill would prohibit political subdivisions of the state from adding classes to nondiscrimination ordinances that aren’t protected under Texas or federal law — neither of which covers LGBT people.
The bill comes in response to the Plano City Council’s passage last month of an equal rights ordinance banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations.
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A similar measure enacted in Houston last year is being challenged in court and goes to trial on January 20.
Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth and San Antonio all have LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination ordinances that would be nullified by the proposed bill.