Little Rock passes antidiscrimination ordinance

The board of directors for Little Rock, Ark., passed an ordinance on Tuesday prohibiting the city and companies contracting with it from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The ordinance, seen as a response to recently adopted state measures that have been criticized as antigay, was approved by the city’s board with a 7-2 vote. The ordinance bans discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in hiring and city services, including those offered through outside vendors, Arkansas Business reports.

Earlier this month, Arkansas lawmakers passed a religious-freedom bill, which was revamped in response to criticism from some of the state’s largest employers – including Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) – that it endorsed discrimination against gays and lesbians. Earlier this year, the Natural State also became the second state after Tennessee to bar local governments from expanding antidiscrimination laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity. This new law, however, doesn’t apply to city and county employment policies, Arkansas Business reports.

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