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<p style="font-weight:bold; display: inline; line-height:150%; font-size: 115%;">P.O. BOX 6015 <br />COLUMBIA, MO 65205</p></div>
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<p style="font-size: 150%; font-weight: bold;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p>
<p style="font-size: 120%; margin-top: -5px; font-weight:bold;">January 6, 2021</p>
<p style="float:right; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom: 25px; font-size: 100%; text-align:right;">CONTACT: Sara Humm
<br />Community Relations Specialist
<br />City of Columbia
<br />Sara.Humm@CoMo.gov
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<br />Rose Wibbenmeyer
<br />Assistant City Counselor
<br />Law Department
<br />City of Columbia
<br />573.874.7229
<br />Rose.Wibbenmeyer@CoMo.gov</p>
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<div style="font-size: 110%; line-height:150%;"><h1 style="clear:both; margin-top: 75px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 130%;">Columbia earns all-star rating, perfect score on Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index for fourth year</h1>
<div class="content"><span style="padding-left: 50px;">(COLUMBIA, MO)</span> - For the fourth year in a row, the City of Columbia, Missouri, earned an all-star rating and a perfect score of 100 points on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index for 2020. The Human Rights Campaign, the largest civil rights organization in America working for LGBTQ equality, conducted the annual nationwide evaluation by rating cities on six categories: non-discrimination laws, municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement and the city leadership's public position on equality.<br /><br />Of the 506 cities rated in 2020, Columbia was one of 94 cities that earned a perfect score based on 49 different criteria. Columbia also earned an all-star rating, which is given to cities that score above 85 points despite being in states with no state-level explicit statutory non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people.<br /><br />Columbia, St. Louis and Kansas City represent
ed three of the 61 cities that earned an all-star rating. The national average for all cities scored was a record high of 64 points. Eight cities in Missouri were scored; Columbia and St. Louis were the only two cities in the state to receive perfect scores with Kansas City earning a score of 94.<br /><br />Earlier this year, the Columbia City Council passed an ordinance establishing nondiscrimination employment policies for businesses providing services to the City. The ordinance requires City contractors to have an employee nondiscrimination policy to prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, receipt of governmental assistance, alienage or citizenship status, status as a victim of sexual or domestic violence, order of protection status, or any other legally protected category recognized by state or federal law.<br /><br />"In addition to all the
great work we’ve built on over the past few years, ad!
ding the new nondiscrimination requirement for City contractors and subcontractors shows that we’re committed to inclusive work environments," Columbia Mayor Brian Treece said. "I am proud that Columbia has again proven that this community is a place that is open to people and open for business. We continue to work towards our vision that Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play."<br /><br />The Human Rights Campaign states that the 506 cities selected for rating vary in size and include every state. The cities rated included the following: the 50 state capitals, the 200 largest cities in the United States, the five largest cities or municipalities in each state, the cities home to the state’s two largest public universities (including undergraduate and graduate enrollment), 75 cities and municipalities that have high proportions of same-sex couples, and 98 cities selected by the Human Rights Campaign and Equality Feder
ation state groups members and supporters.<br /><br />Read more about the Municipal Equality Index: <a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/municipal-equality-index">hrc.org/resources/municipal-equality-index</a></div>
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<div style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 20px; text-align:center;"><p>City of Columbia Vision<br>
<em>Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.</em></p>
<p>City of Columbia Mission<br>
<em>To serve the public through democratic, transparent and efficient government.</em></p>
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<p style="text-align:center;">-30-</p>
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