North Palm Beach Enacts LGBTQ-inclusive Civil Rights Ordinance

August 14, 2020

At last night's meeting, the North Palm Beach Village Council unanimously voted to enact an LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights ordinance. 

Village Councilmember Darryl Aubrey proposed the North Palm Beach Civil Rights Ordinance at the request the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council. PBCHRC is Florida's oldest, independent, non-partisan, political organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

"While the United State Supreme Court recently ruled that

discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited nationwide, there are no federal or statewide laws in effect in Florida which protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in housing and public accommodations," said PBCHRC President and Founder Rand Hoch. "Therefore, until Congress or the Florida Legislature takes action, we must rely on municipal and county officials to fully protect LGBTQ people from discrimination."

Over the years, PBCHRC's "Palm Beach County: You're Welcome!" campaign has encouraged elected officials in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Greenacres, Lake Worth Beach, North Palm Beach, Ocean Ridge, West Palm Beach, Wellington and Westlake to enact LGBTQ-inclusive municipal civil rights laws.

PBCHRC is currently working with the Towns of Haverhill and Juno Beach, as well as the City of Riviera Beach to enact similar civil rights ordinances by summer's end.

Out of 411 cities, towns and villages in Florida, only 32 have enacted LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights ordinances.