Petition Against LGBT Ordinance - FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; kptm.com |

Several hundred petition circulators are now working to gather signatures against the recently adopted LGBT ordinance passed earlier this year by the City Council.  "We feel the Omaha City Council really overstepped its authority," Omaha Liberty Project Exec, Patrick Bonnett, says.

In March, the Omaha City Council passed an ordinance that protects lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from being discriminated against in the work place.  And even though that vote was months ago, one local group feels that vote should have been public.  "We feel the ordinance which was passed on a 4 to 3 split decision by the council really should've been put to a vote of the people and so we've organized and we want our say," Bonnett says.

"It wasn't anything that we felt was out of the ordinary that should go to the vote of the people that's why they put folks like me into office…to help make those decisions," City Councilman, Garry Gernandt, says.

From City Council to city streets, the Omaha Liberty Project is hoping to give people a bigger say.  That's why they're training petition circulators.  The group hopes to collect roughly 11,400 signatures to get rid of the ordinance, because they say-everyone should be protected from discrimination.  "We should have protections as well just like anyone else," Omaha resident, Quinton Lovelace, says.

If the group collects the 11,400 signatures required, it'll then be up to the City Council to decide.  They'll either adopt the petition or allow it to be voted on by the public.  "It's important to be informed before you vote and if they're not informed what their constituents are wanting then that's probably not what we want as a people," Omaha resident, Rose Benda, says.

"You're part of the human race, I'm part of the human race and what it boiled down to me was we're all part of the human race and nobody should be discriminated against in the workplace," Gernandt says.

The Omaha Liberty Project must have all the signatures collected 90 days before the next election to give the city council enough time to move forward before the vote.