(AP) – Fayetteville has a gay pride parade that organizers
tout as the largest in Arkansas and a reputation as a liberal haven in a
conservative state. So the college town’s voters took what seemed like a logical
step in 2015 when they guaranteed civil rights to the LGBT community.
But Arkansas is one of three GOP-controlled states that had explicitly banned
cities and counties from taking such steps, and state officials are challenging
the local action. The Arkansas Supreme Court next week will hear arguments on
whether the city’s ordinance violates that ban.
A handful of Arkansas cities have similar ordinances on the books. The case
could be an important test for cities in other conservative states that are
trying to counter bathroom laws and other efforts criticized as discriminatory.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI