It’s not often that the passing of a municipal ordinance garners a standing ovation but that’s what happened Monday night as Plymouth Township Council passed an anti-discrimination decree.

The ordinance — which is the 45th of its kind to be adopted in Pennsylvania — adds civil protections from discrimination for sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to existing protections for race, religious creed, ancestry, gender, national origin and handicap or disability. It also creates a citizen’s human relations commission to hear and handle complaints, writes Oscar Gamble in The Times Herald.

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State Sen. Daylin Leach attended the meeting to support the ordinance and spoke about how difficult it is to get similar measures passed at the state level. He also touted the low risks and high rewards of having such an ordinance in place.

The most poignant comments on the resolution came from Vivian Lotz and her wife Renee Bess.

Lotz was one of the driving forces behind getting council to consider the ordinance.

Inspired by the anti-discrimination oath police officers make upon being sworn in, she and a dedicated group of residents worked for more than a year to see their efforts — despite a former tabling of the ordinance — come to fruition.

To read the complete story click here.

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