ARKANSAS: Little Rock Approves LGBT Rights Bill Despite New Statewide Ban

The capital city of Arkansas just flipped its middle finger to the state legislature. Via the Associated Press:

Little Rock officials voted Tuesday to prohibit the city and companies contracting with it from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity, challenging a new Arkansas law criticized as anti-gay. The ordinance approved by the city's board on a 7-2 vote bans discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in hiring and city services, including those offered through outside vendors. Little Rock is among several Arkansas cities trying to expand anti-discrimination protections after the state faced a backlash over religious objections measures that critics said were discriminatory. Supporters say the move is needed to counter the impression left by the state adopting those laws. "I think we're sending a message that we're a welcoming community, that we're diverse, that we realize that's good for business, that we value all of our citizens," said City Director Kathy Webb, the sponsor of the proposal. "I think that's very important to make that kind of statement for Little Rock."

Earlier this year Arkansas joined Tennessee in banning municipalities from including sexual orientation and gender identity in local anti-discrimination ordinances. Yesterday's vote by Little Rock officials could set the stage for challenging these bans. A similar ordinance in Fayetteville, Arkansas was repealed in December after an anti-LGBT campaign led by the Duggar family.

More about last night's vote from the Arkansas Times:

After the vote, ACLU staff attorney Holly Dickson said that the measure, while not as broad as the LGBT protection ordinance in Eureka Springs, is a positive step toward a better Little Rock. "It's a great day for Little Rock," Dickson said. "We're sending the right message to the people who live here, to the people in our state and to people around the world: that we welcome everyone and we want to treat everyone fairly and equally." Dickson said the way the measure is written, it would be hard to foresee it being brought to the ballot as seen with the repeal of 119 in Fayetteville. "We'll have to wait and see," she said. "It's hard to see how somebody could really take issue, but there again, anything is possible."

Barbara Mariani of the Stonewall Democrats was all smiles as well, concurring with Dickson that the Little Rock measure isn't as open to a ballot challenge as the Fayetteville Ordinance. "I think the wording of this ordinance is very different, and so the legal issues are different and the arguments are different. It's a little bit harder to argue against this one. The Fayetteville ordinance was very hard to understand. This one is very clean, and I think it'll help a lot of people understand it better. So hopefully you won't get as many objections."

ARKANSAS: Couples Marry In Little Rock

Marriages commenced in Little Rock minutes ago. Pictured above: HRC head Chad Grifin with the first couple. More photos at the link.

ARKANSAS: Couples Line Up For Marriage Licenses Ahead Of Possible Stay Order

The Arkansas Times reports that Pulaski County will issue same-sex marriage licenses this morning. So, presumably, will Carroll County, home to Eureka Springs, which issued 15 licenses on Saturday before closing with many couples still in line. But those might be the only places:

Most counties in Arkansas will not be issuing licenses, relying on legal guidance that — if the counties were not defendants in the case (only six were) — and absent a direct order to cease discriminatory practices, the state ban remains in place in those counties. At least one county that IS a defendant — Lonoke — apparently has announced it will not issue licenses. Several counties hoped to raise an objection about lack of proper software as a delaying tactic in hopes a court will stay the order. But even the county attorney in Republican Benton County, while claiming exemption for that county because it isn't a defendant, said claiming lack of software was a poor excuse.

Pulaski County is home to the state capital of Little Rock. Arkansas readers: please send us your photos.

UPDATE: Twitter peeps report that Washington County will also be issuing licenses today.

Arkansas Pol: The Homeless Are Criminals And Homosexuals

Little Rock, Arkansas city director Erma Hendrix doesn't want a homeless shelter in her district. Because the homeless are criminals and homosexuals. And criminally homosexual. Or something.

City Director Erma Hendrix has long seemed a few bricks shy (memorably, she stooged for G.W. Bush in his road show to privatize Social Security), but she seemingly outdid herself this week by scapegoating gay people in her latest broadside against a day center for homeless in the former Job Corps building at I-30 and 21st. The city has the matter under study. Neighbors have objected. "A lot of them are homosexuals. They're criminals," Hendrix was quoted in the Democrat-Gazette in explaining her opposition to the homeless center in her ward.

Hendrix swears she was misquoted but the newspaper is standing by their story. A local LGBT rights group called the Center for Artistic Revolution has issued this statement:

It has come to our attention that in the city of Little Rock’s quest for a location for a homeless center city Board Director Erma Hendrix has weighed in with some extremely homophobic remarks regarding a proposed location. In response to the proposed location - the former Job Corps site, sandwiched between Interstates 30 and 630, Director Hendrix is quoted as saying, “A lot of them are homosexuals. They’re criminals.” This is an outrageous tactic to try and keep those most vulnerable in our society, the homeless, from having access to a center in a particular area of the city. Scapegoating the Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community to support this agenda is inappropriate and inexcusable scare. We are asking our membership to POLITELY contact Mayor Stodola and Director Hendrix and ask that these remarks be retracted and that an apology is issued to our community. And finally urge the city to support the implementation of a homeless center as soon as possible.