OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Central Florida's gay and lesbian community is hoping to score another civil rights victory after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriage. Advocates are now fighting for protection against discrimination.
Two proposals are in the works at state and local levels.
Osceola County commissioners are meeting Monday night and will consider banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, meaning a person's behavior or appearance.
At the state level, a lawmaker has already filed a bill for the next session with similar goals.
The proposals are different but both would extend the protection to areas of employment, public accommodations and housing.
State lawmakers have talked about the issue for almost a decade, but it hasn't passed, mainly because of objections from religious groups.
Given the recent Supreme Court ruling, gay rights advocates hope the recent Supreme Court decision will provide momentum to the discrimination proposals.
"Until something like this happens, and a city decides to pass an ordinance, and then they say, 'Why do you need to pass this?'" and here's the reason why: It's still legal in the state, in certain counties, to make this happen," said Terry DeCarlo of the central Florida advocacy organization The Center.
According to The Center, 22 counties in Florida have already passed similar measures, including Orange County.
Both of the latest proposals include exemptions for religious organizations.
WFTV
