JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Six months after Jacksonville added LGBT protections to the existing Human Rights Ordinance, a group of Christian conservatives announced it is collecting signatures to get a referendum on the August 2018 ballot that would change the city charter to allow a citizen vote to repeal any law passed by City Council.

The group called Empower Jacksonville that called the news conference Thursday at First Baptist Church is also trying to get a second question on next year's ballot, asking voters if HRO should be subject to citizens' referendum.

Empower Jacksonville said they are not opposed to the entire HRO, just the new amendment that extends protections to lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals.

The group is circulating petitions, trying to gather at least 26,000 signatures to get the two referendums on the ballot.

Empower Jacksonville is backed by the Liberty Council, which has already challenged Jacksonville's HRO in court.