Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish has introduced legislation to broaden the county’s anti-discrimination code to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. The legislation has been on the county executive’s agenda for years.
The Ohio House passed similar legislation when Budish was speaker in 2009. But the measure didn’t make it past the Senate.
Now Budish has another chance to implement the legislation -- on a smaller scale.
“When somebody seeks to rent an apartment or get a job, they should be treated fairly – like everybody else -- and not be allowed to be discriminated against based on their sexual orientation,” Budish said.
The legislation would allow an individual to file a complaint if they feel discriminated against in housing, employment or in a place of public accommodations. The ordinance would also create a County Commission on Human Rights that would investigate discrimination complaints and impose fines.
