The city of Columbus today will ask for dismissal of a legal challenge to its human rights ordinance that a year ago added protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.
The rescheduled court hearing, scheduled for 9 a.m. in Hamilton Superior Court 1 in Noblesville, is seeking a summary judgment against the Terre Haute-based Bopp Law Firm, which filed the lawsuit initially as a challenge to the legislative fix of Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Carmel and Indianapolis/Marion County were initial defendants, and Bloomington and Columbus were added as defendants after each city added human rights protections for the LGBT community.
In addition to naming Columbus, the lawsuit also names the human rights commission and each of its members.
The law firm filed the complaint on behalf of the plaintiffs — Indiana Family Institute, Indiana Family Action and The American Family Association of Indiana. Those groups contend the versions of the ordinances that protect the LGBT community from discrimination means the government could compel them to provide services to gay couples that go against their religious beliefs.
