Regular Meeting of the Commission for Women Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Commission for Women to be held Wednesday, August 5, 2020 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance (Tuesday, August 4, 2020 by Noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the August 5, 2020 Commission for Women Meeting, residents must: •Call or email the board liaison at (512) 974-2597 or april.shaw@austintexas.gov no later than noon, Tuesday, August 4, 2020 (the day before the scheduled meeting). The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. •Once a request to speak has been called in or emailed to the board liaison, residents will receive either an email or phone call providing the telephone number to call on the day of the scheduled meeting. •Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to april.shaw@austintexas.gov by Noon on Tuesday, August 4, 2020, the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Commission members in advance of the meeting. •If this meeting is broadcast live, residents may watch the meeting here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch- atxn-live CITY OF AUSTIN COMMISSION FOR WOMEN REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, August 5, 2020, 10:00 a.m. VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES meeting on June 22, 2020. 2. OLD BUSINESS a. Consider approval of the minutes from the Commission for Women special called a. Discussion and possible action regarding the following working groups: 1. Economic equity 2. Sexual assault, violence prevention, and survivor experience 3. Access to quality and affordable healthcare 4. Women’s Hall of Fame b. Discussion and possible action regarding updates from the Joint Inclusion Committee. c. Discussion and possible action regarding the recommendation for the City of Austin d. Discussion and possible action regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on FY2021 budget. Austin’s women and girls. e. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to the City Council on anti-racism. 3. BRIEFINGS 4. NEW BUSINESS a. Presentation from the …
COMMISSION FOR WOMEN MEETING MINUTES Monday, June 22, 2020 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING Monday, June 22, 2020 COMMISSION FOR WOMEN MINUTES The Commission for Women convened for a special called meeting on Monday, June 22, 2020 via videoconference. Chair Austen called the Commission Meeting to order at 10:06 a.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Rebecca Austen, Chair Flannery Bope, Vice Chair Tanya Athar-Jogee Juliana Gonzales Amanda Lewis Julia Cuba Lewis Sarah Tober Commissioners Absent: Neva Fernandez Dyana Limon-Mercado Vacant: District 2 District 3 Staff in Attendance: April Shaw, Human Resources Department 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Consider approval of the minutes from the Commission for Women special called meeting on April 17, 2020. The minutes from the special called meeting on April 17, 2020 were approved on Commissioner Tober’s motion, Vice Chair Bope’s second on a vote of 6-0, with Commissioner Athar-Jogee off the dais and Commissioners Fernandez and Limon- Mercado absent. COMMISSION FOR WOMEN MEETING MINUTES 2. OLD BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action regarding the following working groups: Monday, June 22, 2020 ii. Sexual assault, violence prevention, and survivor experience i. Economic equity Discussion was held. No action was taken. Discussion was held. No action was taken. iii. Access to quality and affordable healthcare Discussion was held. No action was taken. iv. Women’s Hall of Fame Discussion was held. No action was taken. Committee. Discussion was held. No action was taken. FY2021 budget. Discussion was held. No action was taken. b. Discussion and possible action regarding updates from the Joint Inclusion c. Discussion and possible action regarding the recommendation for the City of Austin d. Discussion and possible action regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Austin’s women and girls. Discussion was held. No action was taken. 3. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to the City Council on anti-racism. Discussion was held. Commission for Women Recommendation No. 20200622-03A1 regarding race and gender equity was made on Commissioner Lewis’ motion, Vice Chair Bope’s second on a vote of 6-0 with Commissioner Cuba Lewis off the dais and Commissioners Fernandez and Limon-Mercado absent. COMMISSION FOR WOMEN MEETING MINUTES Monday, June 22, 2020 Commission for Women Recommendation No. 20200622-03A2 regarding equity in renaming made on Commissioner Tober’s motion, Commissioner Athar-Jogee’s second, on a vote of 6-0 with Commissioner Cuba Lewis off the dais and Commissioners Fernandez and Limon-Mercado absent. 4. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS None. ADJOURNMENT Chair Austen adjourned …
COMMISSION FOR WOMEN RECOMMENDATION 20200805-02Aii Date: August 5, 2020 Subject: Victim Services Motioned By: Rebecca Austen Seconded By: Neva Fernandez Recommendation to Council WHEREAS, the Commission for Women (“Commission”) of the City of Austin (“City”) serves as an advisory body to the City Council (“Council”) and City Manager concerning the needs and problems of women in the Austin area and shall recommend programs designed to alleviate any inequities that may confront women in social, economic and vocational pursuits; and WHEREAS, on June 22, 20220 the Commission passed Recommendation 20200622-03A1: Race and Gender Equity, addressing public safety reform including the funding and operating structure of Victim Services, and additional measures to support survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking; and WHEREAS, on July 7, 2020, the Austin/Travis County Sexual Assault Response and Resource Team (SARRT) sent a letter to the City Manager, Mayor and City Council, objecting to Victims Services being moved out of the Austin Police Department (APD) and recommending increased authority for Victim Services within APD; and WHEREAS, on July 9, 2020, The SAFE Alliance sent a Position on Police and Public Safety in the City of Austin to the City Manager and City Council, addressing the needs of victims and survivors of abuse and violence, and recommending increased authority and capacity for Victim Services; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Commission recommends the following measures regarding public safety, policing and victim services. • Victim/survivor voices must be part of the dialogue and decision process regarding public • Victim Services must report at a level of city government that provides sufficient safety, policing and Victim Services. decision-making and funding authority. • Regardless of reporting structures, Victim Services must co-locate with police officers and have continued access to APD crime data and reporting systems. 1 • Victims must have a voice in whether to have police officers present with Victim Services when they reach out to public safety; the type of crime should influence the involvement of officers (e.g., a report of rape after the fact can be supported by Victim Services without officers present, to avoid re-traumatizing the victim). • Systems and services must support victims who choose not to prosecute as much as those who pursue prosecution. • Social services, counseling and support to navigate the criminal justice system must be available to the accused as well as to victims; the accused are innocent until proven …
