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(Minneapolis) - Today, the Minneapolis City Council's Public Safety &
Regulatory Services Committee voted 4-2 to scrap the City's notorious
"restroom ordinance" in light of citizen testimony that it is ambiguous,
redundant, and harmful.
"The Committee members who voted in favor of the repeal heard loud and
clear both the concerns that citizens brought forward, as well as the
common-sense alternative of joining the rest of Minnesota in relying on
State laws against misconduct," said OutFront Minnesota Public Policy
Director Monica Meyer.
The September 17th hearing was actually a continuation of an August
hearing at which the Committee heard testimony that the ordinance, which
has been interpreted to forbid anyone, at any time, for any purpose from
entering the "wrong" restroom, has harmful effects on transgender
people, senior citizens, people with disabilities, and families with
young children.
"We were very pleased with the vote, and are deeply appreciative of the
leadership of Council Member Scott Benson, in particular, on this
unfortunately controversial issue," said OutFront Minnesota Legal &
Policy Analyst Phil Duran, who spoke at the first hearing. "We are
hopeful that the final vote on September 29th will also be favorable for
repealing this ordinance."
OutFront Minnesota encourages people to contact their City Council
representatives to voice support for this proposal. City Council
contact information may be obtained online.
Council members voting in favor of the repeal were Dan Niziolek, Sandy
Colvin Roy, Don Samuels, and Paul Zerby. Voting against the repeal were
Council President Paul Ostrow and Council Member Barbara Johnson.
Contact:
Monica Meyer, Public Policy Director
(612) 822-0127, ext. 115
Phil Duran, Legal Policy Analyst
(612) 822-0127, ext. 102
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