Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker has proposed a nondiscrimination bill that includes gay protections.

Becker, a Democrat, began circulating a public discussion draft of the proposal on July 21. The mayor is expected to introduce a final bill to the City Council in mid-September.

The current language of the bill would ban discrimination based on race, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity (trangender protections) in the areas of employment, public accommodations and housing. Religious organizations and state agencies would be exempt from the law.

Becker, 57, has asked for public comments on the draft bill, which he says will be taken into consideration before drafting the final ordinance.

A July discrimination report by the 8-member Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission is being given credit as the catalyst for the proposed measure. The commission found that discrimination remains a problem in the city.