SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) _ Officials in some Indiana cities with ordinances that provide protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents worry that legislation state lawmakers are considering could undermine their local authority.
South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg tells the South Bend Tribune (http://bit.ly/1NgKuey ) the bill seems designed to weaken local nondiscrimination rules.
The proposal by Indiana Senate Republicans would extend state civil rights protections to LGBT people but also carve out broad exemptions for religious institutions and some small businesses that object to working with gay people.
If it becomes law, it would supersede municipal ordinances addressing the issue in favor of a statewide standard.
Carmel, Columbus, Zionsville, Terre Haute, Hammond and Muncie recently adopted similar ordinances, joining Indianapolis and about a dozen other Indiana communities that already had LGBT protections.
