Lexington’s city council is moving forward with changing a city ordinance on discrimination complaints. The matter got committee approval Tuesday. It still needs to go before the entire council for its consideration.
Vice Mayor Steve Kay said the requested modification is tied to the State Supreme Court ruling this past fall in the Hands On Originals T-Shirt Company case. The state’s highest court ruled in favor of the business which refused to print a T-shirt for the 2012 Pride Festival. One of the owners said the message conflicted with his religious beliefs.
Vice Mayor Steve Kay noted the court didn’t rule on the merits of the case, but instead, ruled that the plaintiffs didn’t have standing.
“Encouraging the council to considering changing one word in our code of ordinances so it’s consistent with the wording in the state statute and allows organizations and a range of people besides an individual person to bring suit, a complaint of discrimination,” Kay said.
Kay’s motion calls for changing the word 'individual' to 'person'. The council member says that would allow for organizations or groups to have merits of a similar case heard in court. Weku has contacted Hands On Originals for comment and has not received a reply.
