Expanding the Human Rights Ordinance was a frequent topic on the campaign trails that led to March and May elections.
How would the mayor and City Council members see the issue? When would it be addressed?
With an approved budget growing smaller in the rearview, many in the community say now is the time to talk about the issue.
Mayor Lenny Curry has long talked about leading the issue with a “community conversation.”
According to his spokeswoman Marsha Oliver, the mayor’s plan for that conversation will be delivered within a month.
For advocates who have waited years since the failure of the 2012 push, it’s welcome news.
“I think people who are in favor of a Human Rights Ordinance … we’re ready to see some action taken,” said Dan Merkan, chair of the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality.
Banning discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression was struck down by council three years ago.
Since then, though, one almost wouldn’t recognize the political landscape.
Curry and 11 new council members took office in July, many pledging support to the expansion effort.
Curry never publicly took a stance on the issue, only saying he is against discrimination and would the lead the conversation about the issue.
“We participated in the elections for the purpose of electing a mayor and council who were more willing to entertain amending the HRO,” said Jimmy Midyette, an attorney and chair of the Northeast Florida LGBT political action committee. “People remember that and they’re really excited.”
Midyette recently met with Kerri Stewart, Curry’s chief of staff, to talk about the issue in broader terms — but the two didn’t get into specifics, Midyette said.
“I left the meeting feeling like we are on a good timeline,” he said.
Several council members said they want to see what direction Curry takes.
“I think the mayor has made a pretty strong statement he wants to ead this … and I’m certainly supportive of that,” said council member Aaron Bowman, a senior vice president with JAXUSA Partnership.
Bowman, like his JAX Chamber employer, is supportive of an expanded policy. He said he doesn’t want the issue to divide the community, but believes people don’t want to be part of a city that discriminates.
According to a March poll by the University of North Florida, the issue has public support.
Of 546 registered voters who participated, 62 percent showered either strong support or some support for adding sexual orientation to the existing list of groups protected by workplace discrimination. A 2013 UNF poll had the number at 58 percent.
Like Bowman, council member Anna Lopez Brosche said she didn’t see a groundswell of community support on the issue while the budget was underway. But she does expect it to start soon, as the topic has been of great interest.
A “community conversation” to her would be one that includes all voices — the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, small businesses, religious and faith-based groups.
As far as a timeframe in which she’d like to see it done, she doesn’t have one. Bowman hoped to see action before the end of the year.
Council member Tommy Hazouri would like to see it a little sooner.
“It’s time,” he said.
He doesn’t want to get in front of Curry on the issue and will allow him time to lead on it. He’d like to see at least those conversations take place by November. If not, he said he could file legislation on the matter.
Advocates like Merkan have waited for the budget process to play out. Waited, but prepared.
In the past week, a grassroots event of close to 60 supporters spent the afternoon training on how to tell effectively tell their stories to council members.
The three-minute window allowed during the public comment and public hearing portions of council meetings allows for only so much. But, they are stories people need to hear, said Midyette.
In the meantime, the overall story is being told through film.
“Six Words” is a documentary about the efforts to pass a Jacksonville human rights ordinance. It’s being screened from 7-9 p.m. tonight at the University of North Florida.
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