AR Supreme Court Rules Fayetteville's LGBT Protections Ordinance Violates State Law
- By
- Carlos Santoscoy
- | February 02, 2019
The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against Fayetteville's LGBT protections ordinance.
Voters approved the ordinance, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations, in 2015, reversing an earlier vote that repealed a similar ordinance approved by lawmakers.
In response to Fayetteville's ordinance, state lawmakers approved a bill that outlaws municipalities from adopting ordinances prohibiting LGBT discrimination and Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson allowed the bill to become law without his signature. The law took effect in 2015.
A Washington County judge allowed Fayetteville to continue enforcing the ordinance as the city challenged the constitutionality of the state law.
According to the AP, the high court ruled that Fayetteville's measure violates the state law that prohibits cities and municipalities from approving such protections and dismissed the case. The justices did not rule on the constitutionality of the state law.