Neb. governor condemns Lincoln’s trans ordinance that ‘threatens to bankrupt families’

Liberal “leaders” in a Nebraska city are making a power play, putting teeth into the notions that men can “be” women and use their bathrooms, that parents may not teach their children Biblical principles, and that businesses should face crushing fines unless they act like liberals.

The Lincoln, Neb. City Council in mid-February passed a broad revision of city code that deals with equal opportunity, adding transgenders, gays and – interestingly – military personnel as protected classes, reports the Lincoln Journal-Star.

The Lincoln City Council has tried this before. In 2012 their opponents gathered enough signatures to put the ordinance to a vote, but the council dropped the matter without doing so. It also didn’t rescind the ordinance, however.

The new attempt is broader than the first one and updates to the entire code.

Opponents have filed a referendum petition and have two weeks to gather 4,137 signatures to halt the ordinance. If they succeed, the City Council can once again either repeal or let voters decide.

Called the “Fairness Ordinance,” the legislation changes a section of Lincoln’s Equal Opportunity Code to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and military status. Opponents say it goes much further, and point out how it can impose fines as high as $50,000.

“The adjudicating tribunal is the mayor-appointed human rights commission who can assess damages and attorney’s fees against the offending person. In addition, they can impose fines ranging from: $10,000 for first offenses; $25,000 for each repeated offense within 5 years; and $50,000 for each repeated offense within a 7 year period,” Nebraska Family Alliance (NFA) Policy Director Nate Grasz told The Daily Wire. “Those are the definition of ‘draconian’ and would quickly bankrupt any person or business.”

NFA filed the petition to stop the ordinance, which has yet to be signed by the mayor, from going into effect.

Nebraska’s Republican governor, Pete Ricketts, issued a statement condemning the bill on Feb. 20: “This ordinance is anything but fair — it should be called the ‘unfairness ordinance.’ It puts girls at risk by allowing men into girls’ bathrooms. It applies to private schools and not to public schools. It prevents parents from helping their kids who are experiencing gender dysphoria. And it threatens to bankrupt families who instill traditional values on their children — anyone who disagrees could get fined up to $50,000. I urge the people of Lincoln to sign the petition to let the people vote on these unfair policies!”