In Spite of Jindal, New Orleans Mayor Reaffirms Respect for City’s Diversity

Incumbent New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu addresses supporters after winning reelection in New Orleans, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu (D) punched back at Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s (R) religious freedom executive order, issuing a counter-executive order for The Crescent City.

According to The New Orleans Advocate, the executive order says that New Orleans “is an accepting, inviting city that thrives on its diversity and welcomes people from all walks of life with open arms.”

It’s meant to contrast Jindal’s order, which aims to preserve a bill sponsored by state Rep. Mike Johnson (R), for which Jinal recently voiced strong support in an op-ed.

Johnson’s bill, which failed to make it through committee on Tuesday, would have prohibited the government from imposing fines, withdrawing tax benefits, or revoking licenses of businesses that took discrimintory action against gays. Jindal’s executive order is meant to do the same thing but it only covers the state government’s executive branch.

“In New Orleans, we believe religious liberty and freedoms should be protected and discrimination prohibited, and we have passed our own laws to reflect that principle,” Landrieu said in a statement. “This executive order is an important, symbolic affirmation that discrimination in any form will not be tolerated in New Orleans — and it should not be tolerated anywhere in Louisiana.”

The executive action was the latest move by Jindal to highlight his support for religious freedom legislation as he’s moved toward running for president, including creating a presidential exploratory committee.

Read Landrieu’s executive order below:

MJL 15-01

WHEREAS, the City of New Orleans is proud to be a culturally rich community of faith, inclusion, tolerance, and diversity;

WHEREAS, the City of New Orleans is proud to foster an environment for its residents, visitors, and businesses that is welcoming, just and inclusive;

WHEREAS, the free exercise of religion in the City of New Orleans, including religious beliefs relating to marriage, is both a constitutionally protected right, and a matter of paramount importance to the fabric of New Orleans;

WHEREAS, the freedom against discrimination on any basis is a matter of equal paramount importance to the fabric of New Orleans;

WHEREAS, in 2010 Louisiana enacted the Preservation of Religious Freedom Act which prohibits governmental burden of a person’s exercise of religion;

WHEREAS, New Orleans City Code Chapter 86 currently prohibits discrimination in employment, housing and any public accommodation based on race, creed, national origin or ancestry, color, religion, gender or sex, sexual orientation, gender identification, marital status, age, physical condition or disability;

WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by law, contracts entered into by the City of New Orleans contain a requirement that City contractors, consultants or partners will not, in the performance of the contract, discriminate or retaliate, in fact or in perception, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, culture, ancestral history, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or domestic partner status, physical or mental disability, or AIDS- or HIV-status;

WHEREAS, the City of New Orleans appropriately balances religious beliefs of all kinds with civil liberties, including freedom from discrimination.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, MITCHELL J. LANDRIEU, BY THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME as Mayor of the City of New Orleans by the Constitution and laws of the State of Louisiana and the Home Rule Charter and laws of the City of New Orleans, HEREBY ORDER AS FOLLOWS:

Purpose: The purpose of this Executive Order is to confirm for the residents of the City of New Orleans, its businesses and visitors that religious beliefs are protected from unjustified governmental burden, but that there is no tolerance in the City of New Orleans for discrimination on the basis of race, creed, national origin or ancestry, color, religion, gender or sex, sexual orientation, gender identification, marital or domestic partner status, age, physical condition or disability.

All departments, commissions, boards, agencies of the City are authorized and directed to take cognizance of and comply with this Executive Order and the anti-discrimination laws of the City of New Orleans.

Effective Date: This Executive Order is effective upon the date of its issuance.

Signed,

Mitchell J. Landrieu

May 21, 2015

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