PALM BAY, Fla. (AP) — The Palm Bay City Council has rejected a human rights ordinance to protect gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people from discrimination.
The mayor and three council members voted against the measure following a 6 1/2-hour meeting that ended early Friday. More than 500 people attended the meeting.
Florida Today reports Council member Michele Paccione voted in favor of the proposal. She told the crowd she didn’t bring up the ordinance to hurt anyone. She says she has friends who’ve been discriminated against because of their sexual orientation.
Mayor William Capote says he wasn’t pleased with the way the proposal was presented, adding it is a complex issued that couldn’t be addressed in a short amount of time.
No Brevard County municipalities have adopted such an ordinance.
