The city of St. Louis added abortion protections to its non-discrimination ordinance, a move religious organizations claim could violate their religious liberty.
On Friday, the St. Louis City Board of Aldermen voted 17-10 to add abortion and contraceptive use to existing non-discrimination laws that are generally used to prevent discrimination based on race, religion, or sex. Board Bill 203 bans employers or housing providers from turning down prospective employees or tenants because they are pregnant, are having or had an abortion, or use contraception.
Alderwoman Megan Green, the bill’s sponsor, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch the bill is necessary to prevent employers from firing workers for having an abortion.
“Employers can have their own beliefs,” Green said. “But they shouldn’t be able to impose those beliefs on people or fire someone because of those beliefs.”
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!
