PITTSBURGH -- A public hearing is being held at the Allegheny County Courthouse Thursday night on a proposal to fight discrimination at the county level that would apply to housing, jobs, race, religion, age and sexual orientation.

The debate has been primarily focused on including LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender) individuals in the county’s non-discrimination ordinance.

The meeting began at 5 p.m. and 85 speakers were scheduled to address the issue.

“Support for this bill is faltering without a clear reason other than misinformation myth spread by ill-informed and narrow-minded people claiming religiosity as a shield for prejudice,” said City Council member Bruce Kraus.

The heated debate has drawn support from both sides.

“I’m opposed to this ordinance because it actually does not give homosexuals rights, but rather takes rights away from the rest of us who would want to associate with who we would want to associate with,” said business owner Dave Cranston.

Allegheny County Council will hold another meeting prior to bringing the matter before a vote.

A majority of eight votes would be required to pass the ordinance.

Mayor David Lawrence formed the city’s Human Relations Commission in 1954, and the city made the same commitment against discrimination in 1990 with a ban of discrimination based on sexual orientation.