After six months of discussion and public forums, Daviess County Fiscal Court will hold a vote Thursday evening that determines whether or not Daviess County will become the next county to have a nondiscrimination ordinance.
The vote will take place during the 5 p.m. Fiscal Court meeting, which can be viewed via their Facebook page. The meeting is not open to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In order for the county-wide ordinance to pass, at least three out of four commissioners must vote in approval.
The nondiscrimination ordinance gives those in the LGBTQ community protections for housing, employment and public accommodations at a local level. Religious liberties have been included in the ordinance, as faith-based small businesses, religious organizations and individuals still have the religious freedom to turn away those in the LGBTQ community.
Mattingly has been a proponent of the ordinance since almost the beginning and has said it should never be supported or opposed based on the religious beliefs of those in office.
“As a Catholic, I can’t make any law based on my faith,” he has said. “Our founding fathers said the government shall not impose their religion upon [the making of laws].”
County Commissioner George Wathen has been opposed to the ordinance since the beginning, claiming that it could be used to stir up frivolous lawsuits and that those who oppose it might, at some point, be forced to do things that demonstrate they are approving same-sex behavior, which goes against their moral convictions.
“I can already see this ordinance causing tension in the community,” Wathen has said. “If passed, people will start testing their boundaries on the new laws and rules. There will be lines drawn, and people who are naturally fair will follow the law, there will be more lawsuits. Decisions will be made for the wrong reasons — all because of an ordinance.”
