IMHO, the answer to that question is yes. Big time. The current council president and mayoral candidate posted this on her FB page at https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemeyerforshawnee/
This is what she posted:
As policy makers, it is our job to be sure that our actions and decisions follow legal precedent, statute, and authority. Often times, in local government, that means waiting on clarification from a higher jurisdiction. What cannot be lost in that process, however, is the more important question of “Is this the right thing to do?”
Many months in the making, I’m happy to announce that at our August 13 Council Committee meeting, we will take up the discussion of a non-discrimination ordinance. We cannot continue to wait for others to act.
In my experience, the residents of Shawnee are warm, welcoming, and compassionate people, and we should want that spirit to echo through all that we do. I hope you’ll participate in this important conversation.
This push for cities in Kansas to adopt non-discriminatory ordinances is absolutely ridiculous. How many of them are still being challenged in the courts?
Laws against discrimination belong at the state and/or federal level. For various reasons. A hodgepodge of these ordinances means that folks traveling from city to city would need a book of ordinances for all cities. But, even more important are cities really the best entities to judge and evaluate what some may or may not perceive as discrimination? Do cities have the resources? Do cities have the funding?
This is a "feel good" act looking for a problem.
Now, let's take a look at state law. K.S.A 44-1009 has a pretty good handle on this subject, and if it needs amending, expanding or anything along those lines then encourage the state legislature to make those changes. Keep it uniform across the whole State of Kansas. Keep it uniform so that violations of the statute can be handled in a judicious manner. Not in a helter skelter willy nilly fashion. Keep in mind that this item is being championed by the same cheerleader who wanted to saddle Shawnee residents with an enormous tax burden to finance a community center.
The council committee will be discussing this item at its meeting on Tuesday Aug 13, 2019 at 7PM at Shawnee City Hall, 11110 Johnson Drive. Let her and any other members of the council that support this know that this is an item best left to the State of Kansas.
