New human rights ordinance in Wayne County passed to protect everyone from discrimination

FOX 2 - "We want a county where people want to come here to work, to live, and these protections are important," said Wayne County Commissioner Tim Killeen.

Wayne County Commissioners say they are taking a new step in the struggle for human and Civil Rights. They unanimously passed an ordinance on Thursday protecting people from all kinds of discrimination. 

"Nobody should lose their job because of who they are," he said. "Nobody should be discriminated against in housing. People who are (LGBT) there's nobody in the county we discriminate against."

The ordinance will be enforced by a human rights commission that will be set up soon. 

Wayne County joins 45 other jurisdictions across the state that have similar ordinances. Killeen, the commissioner for District One, says their ordinance plugs the holes in the existing laws to protect everyone. 

"All these laws can be slightly different or non-existent, federal and Civil Rights laws, Michigan Civil Rights laws so just wanted to make sure everyone in Wayne County is protected. 

Killeen says their initiative to create the human rights ordinance was at least three years in the making. Now he is thrilled Wayne County is standing up against discrimination in this new way. 

"I think it's a good statement to me," he said. "It's as American as apple pie. Everyone is protected under our laws here in America."