Authors of a measure to repeal a ban against local civil rights ordinances for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered people are gathering signatures. 51,000 signatures must be gathered within 90 days for the question to be placed on the November 2016 ballot.
Attorney David Couch with Arkansans to Protect Local Rights, said ACT 137 is hateful towards LGBT people. He said he believes there is enough support to get signatures for the ballot and overturn the law.
“If Washington, D.C., had done to the state of Arkansas what Little Rock did to the communities in the state of Arkansas, everybody in the state of Arkansas would be up in arms about someone outside their community telling them what they can do in their community,” he said.
“So, I think the vast majority of the people in the state of Arkansas are going to understand it’s a local issue,” he added.
Volunteer Sarah Scanlon said she believes voters should decide about ACT 137 because local-level protections are the first step towards civil rights statewide.
“One of the ways that you actually prove that there is a desire in the population to have non-discrimination on a statewide basis is by having local communities who push and create those local ordinances across the state,” she said.
Jerry Cox of the Arkansas Family Council ACT 137 said he thinks civil rights should be resolved at the state level. He said he doesn’t expect the measure to get the necessary signatures. In the event it does, his staff will respond with a public campaign.
“It would simply be a matter of our organization doing an education campaign to help the people of Arkansas understand that and if it comes to that, we will. And we’ll mobilize our people to do as much education as we can”
Attorney General Leslie Rutledge approved the language of the ballot question Thursday.
ACT 137 will take effect in July unless the ballot question gains enough signatures, in which case it will be put on hold until decided by popular vote.
