FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) - The Fayetteville City Council voted in favor of a new non-discrimination ordinance on Tuesday evening (May 16), officials say.
On June 3, Alderman Matthew Petty added the new non-discrimination ordinance to the city council June 16 meeting agenda. The ordinance is titled “An ordinance to ensure the uniform non-discrimination protections within the city of Fayetteville or groups already protected to varying degrees throughout state law.” It is also known as the Uniform Civil Rights Protection Article.
The Uniform Civil Rights Protection Article states that the right to be free from discrimination because of sexual orientation and gender identity is the same right of every citizen to be free from discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, gender and disability as recognized and protected by the Arkansas Civil Rights Act of 1993.
Now that it has been passed, the ordinance will go straight to Fayetteville voters in a special election scheduled for Sept. 8, officials said. Voters will then chose to enact or reject the ordinance.