By John Mack Freeman
A Texas court this week rejected the city’s wording for a ballot measure that would determine the fate of Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO). Instead of having to vote yes to remove the ordinance, it will instead have to be worded in such a way that a yes vote is cast for keeping the ordinance in place. Via LGBTQ Nation:
The ruling Wednesday over ballot wording for a November referendum was another stumble for Mayor Annise Parker and efforts to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the nation’s fourth-largest city.
The Houston City Council last year adopted a nondiscrimination ordinance. It aims to protect gay and transgender people against discrimination in employment and public places.
But the Texas Supreme Court ruled last month that conservative activists should have succeeded in a petition drive to put the issue before voters. The court now says the ballot language must ask voters whether Houston should have a nondiscrimination ordinance.
