HILLIARD, Ohio — Hilliard City Council members voted in favor of expanding a non-discrimination ordinance to include protection for members of the LGBTQ+ community on Monday.
City council members voted 6-1 in support of amending the ordinance.
Currently, Ohio law bans employers, landlords, and those providing public accommodations from discriminating against people based on race, sex, or disability, but does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender expression.
Several cities, including Columbus, Bexley, and Westerville, have adopted ordinances to include those protections, and the city of Hilliard will now follow suit.
“I think folks often believe that discrimination is not an issue - they hear stories, but sometimes they think it’s not actually happening in their city,” said Kat Callahan, who spoke during the meeting and said her children attended Hilliard City Schools. “So my question to you would be, if it’s not an issue, then what’s the harm in passing the ordinance?”