(The Lion) — The Minneapolis City Council is pushing an amendment that would add height, weight, housing status and criminal records to the list of categories protected under city civil rights law.
The council’s Public Health and Safety Committee voted 5-0 to advance the proposal earlier this month. The full council is expected to approve the measure on May 1, according to Alpha News, since the proposal only needs seven of the 13 councilors to support its passage.
The ordinance would prohibit discrimination based on the list of attributes in areas such as education, professional organizations, employment, public accommodations and property rights.
Additionally, it defines “justice-impacted status” as “the state of having a criminal record or history, including any arrest, charge, conviction, period of incarceration, or past or current probationary status.”
However, there is an exemption that lets employers and schools consider how someone’s criminal history could impact their job duties.
The city’s current civil rights ordinance already bans discrimination based on many categories, such as race, color, creed, sex and so-called gender identity. The ordinance lets people who feel they have experienced discrimination file claims with the city’s Civil Rights Department or its Civil Rights Commission.
Councilor Jason Chavez said he thinks the new rule will make the state’s largest city more inclusive.
“This ordinance is comprehensive,” Chavez said. “There are many different communities that are here testifying today, and that is beautiful. That is what I love about this ordinance – there are so many different communities together saying we can improve protections for our residents here in Minneapolis, and we can bring people together to celebrate this moment.”
People mocked the liberal city’s proposal on social media.
“Criminals and fat people 🤦♀️ just when I thought MN couldn’t get any worse,” wrote one X user. “When am I going to be protected from idiots?”
Another user, who goes by Fred, posted, “Just save time and list the one group not protected: white, male identifying, straight, biological males of Christian faith.”
