CHARLOTTE, NC – The Mecklenburg County Commission is one step closer to creating a more equitable community. At Tuesday night's meeting, commissioners passed a non-discrimination resolution.

The resolution is a call to end discrimination against those in the LGBTQ community. It says in part "Mecklenburg County Government ... will not discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity, race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, pregnancy or natural hairstyles, texture or type associated with race."

The resolution also asks all citizens to treat all persons with respect and dignity, and asks businesses and municipalities to adopt non-discrimination policies.

The resolution was passed after the sunset of portions of North Carolina House Bill 142. That bill was a compromise to the infamous HB2, also known as the "Bathroom Bill." Under HB142, local LGBTQ non-discrimination ordinances were prohibited. Now, local governments can take action to protect the community from discrimination.

Daniel Valdez, the board president of Charlotte Pride, says more people are accepting now, and he doesn't predict any backlash.

"Close to 70 percent of North Carolinians believe that LGBTQ protections are the right thing to do. Not just because it’s the right thing to do for our community, but also because it’s the right thing to do from an economic perspective as well," Valdez says. "We saw what the fallout was of that Bathroom Bill, and so I think that folks who saw what that fallout was I think are going to think twice about creating some kind of backlash against these kinds of ordinances.”

Mecklenburg County is now in the process of working to create a non-discrimination ordinance to help enforce policies if people are discriminated against.