Orange County to adopt LGBT business ordinances

FL News - Published Oct 16, 2019

The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for Orange County, Florida, has recently adopted measures which are designed to foster a business-friendly climate for LGBT-owned business enterprises (often known as LGBTBEs) in the area. The new policy requires the County to develop a database of LGBTBEs, to monitor the rate of procurement with LGBTBEs, and to extend various training opportunities and similar that it currently provides to minority- and woman-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) to LGBTBEs. It does not, however, establish preferences or set-asides.

The certification process would be performed through the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), whose certifications would be accepted for the purposes of the county, an arrangement the NGLCC performs in other municipalities with similar LGBTBE policies, such as Orlando, Los Angeles, and Nashville. Orange County is the first county in Florida, however, to include such procedures.

Jerry Demings, Mayor of Orange County, was quoted as saying the new LGBTBE policies will send a statement that the County is "business-friendly to those from the LGBTQ-plus community."