Jonesboro, Ark. officials reject anti-discrimination protections

Jonesboro, Ark. (AP) — Jonesboro city leaders have rejected a proposal to protect city employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Jonesboro Sunreports the proposed ordinance failed to get enough support to advance at Tuesday's city council meeting.

The Arkansas State University Gay-Straight Alliance advocated for changes similar to protections approved earlier this year in Conway and North Little Rock. Students told the aldermen that Jonesboro should be a welcoming place.

No one spoke against the change.

Arkansas is set to become the second state it the nation to bar municipalities from enacting certain anti-discrimination protections. That prohibition doesn't prevent local governments from enacting anti-discrimination policies for their own employees.

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The Gayly – April 8, 2015 @ 1pm.