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SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake County Council is scheduled to vote today on an ordinance granting protection against discrimination for gay and transgender residents in the areas of housing and unemployment.

While the county has general anti-discrimination laws on the books, council members will consider a pair of statues patterned after those the Salt Lake City Council unanimously adopted last month.

County Council Chairman Joe Hatch said last week expects the measures to pass without a descending vote.

The council earlier this year approved an ordinance extending insurance benefits to non-traditional partners after some pushback from council Republicans, but the anti-discrimination proposal will likely not meet resistance. GOP Councilman David Wilde concurred with Hatch that the changes would get full support.

County Mayor Peter Corroon said he supports the proposals would like to see the Utah Legislature adopt the same protections statewide.

A Deseret News/KSL-TV poll conducted last month show 69 percent of Utahns would back state-level anti-discrimination laws to protect gays and lesbians in the realms of housing and unemployment.