Expand / Collapse search
☰

Hundreds pack Bellingham, WA City Council for LGBTQ+ ordinance

By
Published  June 23, 2025 10:09pm PDT
Bellingham
FOX 13 Seattle
Hundreds pack Bellingham City Council for LGBTQ+ ordinance

Hundreds pack Bellingham City Council for LGBTQ+ ordinance

The ordinance aims to prevent discrimination in housing, policing, and healthcare access.

The Brief

    • Bellingham City Council is considering an ordinance to enhance protections for the LGBTQ+ community.
    • The ordinance aims to prevent discrimination in housing, policing, and healthcare access.
    • Over 200 people attended the council meeting, showing strong public interest and support.

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Bellingham City Council members could soon vote on a new anti-discrimination ordinance to further protect transgender and other members of the LGBTQ+ community in the city. It would focus on protections from federal and state laws that target LGBTQ + members of the community. 

The backstory:

The ordinance would create a new chapter of the Bellingham municipal code that would spell out the city's commitment to equal treatment and services for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation.

The city council meeting was packed Monday night with more than 200 people as council members discussed the ordinance.

Bellingham city council meeting

In short, the ordinance would mean that law enforcement and hospitals can't discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community. Police must treat everyone fairly and investigate hate crimes where appropriate, and it would also protect them from a nationwide effort to restrict their access to healthcare.

City council members are reportedly in favor of the new ordinance.

There were so many people who showed up for Monday night's public meeting, it lasted late into the evening.

A second, separate ordinance was also discussed that dealt with renter protections. 

The Source: Information in this story came from the Bellingham City Council and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.

MORE NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE

Seattle police release video of shootout between officers, DV suspect in Washington Park

Travis Decker manhunt echoes 2020 hunt in same WA wilderness

Police warning as bear spotted near homes in Renton

Whitney Decker reveals '3 feelings' tradition at emotional memorial for daughters

Woman found dead on Ketron Island as suspect drives off ferry dock

Everything to know about WA laws going into effect July 1

To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.

Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.

BellinghamNewsWashingtonWhatcom CountyLGBTQ