After voting unanimously to increase domestic partnership rights at a meeting Thursday night, Gainesville City Commissioners questioned the wording of the ballot initiative that would eliminate local anti-discrimination protections for gay and transgender people.
After little discussion, commissioners voted in favor of the ordinance, which would extend city employee benefits to people in domestic partnerships, as well as spouses.
Commissioner Jack Donovan said he felt people in domestic partnerships could face unintended restrictions from seemingly small issues.
"I'm glad we're passing this," Donovan said.
The Commission must vote on the proposed ordinance again before it becomes a city law.
A ballot initiative that would amend the city charter caused a greater stir later in the evening when the Commission debated how it should be worded on the March ballot.
If passed, the proposed amendment would take away Gainesville's anti-discrimination policy, which offers protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The policy would be replaced by the state policy, which does not offer these protections.
The group proposing the amendment, Citizens for Good Public Policy, acquired 6,343 valid petition signatures in favor of putting the amendment on the ballot, surpassing the required 5,581 signatures, City Attorney Marion Radson said at the meeting.
The Commission must now approve a 75-word ballot question for March's citywide election, Radson said.
Commissioners debated how to handle the required word limit, all saying they felt the language presented to them did not accurately explain the amendment.
"What strikes me as most important is the ballot language," said Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan, who felt the wording was not specific enough.
"A 75-word requirement presents a significant challenge in order to be truly reflective of the impact of the proposed amendment."
The Commission voted unanimously to continue the discussion at its meeting either Dec. 4 or Dec. 18, after more wording options could be drafted.
