Regular Meeting of the Human Rights Commission July 29, 2020 Human Rights Commission to be held July 29, 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, July 28, 2020 by Noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the July 29, 2020 Human Rights Commission Meeting, residents must: •Call or email the board liaison at (512) 974-3276 or jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov no later than noon, (the day before the 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 jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov by Noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and 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 1 HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Wednesday, July 29, 2020 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS: Sareta Davis, Chair Jamarr Brown, Vice Chair Jared Breckenridge Garry Brown Kristian Caballero Isabel Casas Idona Griffith Maram Museitif Courtney Santana Alicia Weigel Nathan White AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Regular Meeting. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Consider approval of the minutes from the Human Rights Commission’s June 22, 2020 a. Discussion and possible action on Formal Condemnation and Call for Investigation of Violation of Austin Police Department Policy, and Recommendation to Amend and Ensure Enforcement of Austin Police Department's Policy re Requesting an Officer of a Given Sex or Gender. (Weigel/White) b. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to City Council to establish the Juneteenth holiday as a City holiday each year beginning in 2021. (Davis/Brown, J.) 3. OLD BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action on a Recommendation to Address Under-banking by Allowing City Libraries to …
DRAFT HRC 20200729-002b DECLARATION NO. WHEREAS, On June 19th, 1865 Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War was over and that enslaved Africans and African descendants were now free; and, WHEREAS, the following year, June 19 became “Juneteenth,” and was marked with celebrations and political rallies across the State of Texas; and, WHEREAS, news of the end of slavery did not reach the State of Texas and other Southwestern States until months after the conclusion of the Civil War, more than two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863; and, WHEREAS, in East Austin, freed persons pooled resources together to purchase Emancipation Park to celebrate, which is located at present-day Rosewood Courts; and, WHEREAS, as a result of anti-Black bigotry and racism, the Juneteenth holiday has been historically held in obscurity; and, WHEREAS, Texas House Bill 1016, which passed in the 66th Legislature Regular Session declared June 19th, “Emancipation Day in Texas,” a legal state holiday effective starting in 1980; and, WHEREAS, recently, multiple municipalities have begun to acknowledge Juneteenth and commemorate it as a formal holiday; and, WHEREAS, bipartisan bills in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives propose to establish Juneteenth as a federal holiday; and, WHEREAS, The City of Austin is committed to challenging and undoing anti-Black racism and systemic racialized inequality; and, WHEREAS, The City of Austin is committed to condemning Austin's history as a participant in American chattel slavery; and, WHEREAS, Black Lives Matter, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: The 19th day of June of each year beginning in the year 2021, shall be known in the City of Austin as ‘Juneteenth’ to memorialize the end of chattel slavery in the United States and to celebrate the Africans and African descendants who survived an inhumane economic system and thrived as American citizens. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The Human Rights Commission supports City Council in directing the City Manager to analyze and present several options for amending the City of Austin's Personnel Policies to establish Juneteenth as a paid holiday or other benefit for City employees, to begin in June 2021. Analysis should include detailed and comprehensive evaluations of costs and budget impacts, including personnel costs. Consideration should be given to the value to City employees of …
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Human Rights Commission Recommendation Number 20200729-003a: Recommendation to Address Under-banking by Allowing City Libraries to Perform Limited Financial Services WHEREAS, Under-banking is a serious detriment to working people’s ability to build and grow wealth; and, WHEREAS, Online banking services and digital commerce are becoming increasingly ubiquitous; and, WHEREAS, The inability to participate in digital commerce can directly impact one’s quality of life, financial and employment prospects; thus negatively impacting one’s access to human rights; and, WHEREAS, Public institutions, such as the United States Postal Service, have previously provided limited banking services to the public; and, WHEREAS, The entrance of a public enterprise with more affordable rates stimulates competition in the private sector; and, WHEREAS, The definition of what public libraries are able to lend to the public has previously been expanded (i.e. DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, etc.); and, WHEREAS, Libraries are currently, in effect, depositories of a kind; and, WHEREAS, Exclusion from banking services has been a studied and documented symptom of institutional racism and sexism; and, WHEREAS, The right to Social Security is guaranteed by the 22nd Article of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights; and, WHEREAS, We are now facing unprecedented financial consequences due to COVID-19; and, WHEREAS, It is in the public interest to create a department within a publicly trusted institution dedicated to the financial success and prosperity of all Austin residents. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Human Rights Commission recommends the Austin City Council to investigate ways to charter the Austin Library System as a state bank to provide basic, free-to-access, financial services to include but not limited to: fee-free ATM services, checking and savings accounts with online access, debit card services, fee-free overdraft protection, etc.
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Human Rights Commission Recommendation Number 20200729-002b: Juneteenth Holiday WHEREAS, On June 19th, 1865 Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War was over and that enslaved Africans and African descendants were now free; and, WHEREAS, the following year, June 19 became “Juneteenth,” and was marked with celebrations and political rallies across the State of Texas; and, WHEREAS, news of the end of slavery did not reach the State of Texas and other Southwestern States until months after the conclusion of the Civil War, more than two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863; and, WHEREAS, in East Austin, freed persons pooled resources together to purchase Emancipation Park to celebrate, which is located at present-day Rosewood Courts; and, WHEREAS, as a result of anti-Black bigotry and racism, the Juneteenth holiday has been historically held in obscurity; and, WHEREAS, Texas House Bill 1016, which passed in the 66th Legislature Regular Session declared June 19th, “Emancipation Day in Texas,” a legal state holiday effective starting in 1980; and, WHEREAS, recently, multiple municipalities have begun to acknowledge Juneteenth and commemorate it as a formal holiday; and, WHEREAS, bipartisan bills in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives propose to establish Juneteenth as a federal holiday; and, WHEREAS, The City of Austin is committed to challenging and undoing anti-Black racism and systemic racialized inequality; and,
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Human Rights Commission Recommendation Number 20200729-003a: Recommendation to Address Under-banking by Allowing City Libraries to Perform Limited Financial Services WHEREAS, Under-banking is a serious detriment to working people’s ability to build and grow wealth; and, WHEREAS, Online banking services and digital commerce are becoming increasingly ubiquitous; and, WHEREAS, The inability to participate in digital commerce can directly impact one’s quality of life, financial and employment prospects; thus negatively impacting one’s access to human rights; and, WHEREAS, Public institutions, such as the United States Postal Service, have previously provided limited banking services to the public; and, WHEREAS, The entrance of a public enterprise with more affordable rates stimulates competition in the private sector; and, WHEREAS, The definition of what public libraries are able to lend to the public has previously been expanded (i.e. DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, etc.); and, WHEREAS, Libraries are currently, in effect, depositories of a kind; and, WHEREAS, Exclusion from banking services has been a studied and documented symptom of institutional racism and sexism; and, WHEREAS, The right to Social Security is guaranteed by the 22nd Article of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights; and, WHEREAS, We are now facing unprecedented financial consequences due to COVID-19; and, WHEREAS, It is in the public interest to create a department within a publicly trusted institution dedicated to the financial success and prosperity of all Austin residents.
REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY, July 29, 2020 HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MINUTES The Human Rights Commission convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 via teleconference in Austin, Texas. Chair Sareta Davis called the Board Meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, Commissioner Santana, and Commissioner Weigel. Staff in Attendance: Jonathan Babiak, Human Resources Coordinator, Human Resources Department 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. The minutes from the regular meeting of June 22, 2020 were approved on a vote of 10-0: Chair Davis motion, Commissioner Garry Brown second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, Commissioner Santana, and Commissioner Weigel. Commissioner White was absent. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action on Formal Condemnation and Call for Investigation of Violation of Austin Police Department Policy, and Recommendation to Amend and Ensure Enforcement of Austin Police Department's Policy re Requesting an Officer of a Given Sex or Gender. (Weigel/White) Commissioner Weigel moved to table this item, Commissioner Garry Brown second. Motion passed on a vote of 9-0; voting in favor were Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, Commissioner Santana, and Commissioner Weigel. Chair Davis and Commissioner White were absent. b. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to City Council to establish the Juneteenth holiday as a City holiday each year beginning in 2021. (Davis/Brown, J) The Commission discussed this item. Chair Davis moved for adoption, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown second. The recommendation was approved on a vote of 10-0. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, Commissioner Santana, and Commissioner Weigel. Commissioner White was absent. 1 3. OLD BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action on a Recommendation to Address Under-banking by Allowing City Libraries to Perform Limited Financial Services. (White/Caballero) The Commission discussed this item. Vice Chair Jamarr Brown moved for adoption, Commissioner Caballero second. The recommendation was approved on a vote of 8-0. Voting in favor were Vice Chair Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, Commissioner Santana, and Commissioner Weigel. Chair Davis, Commissioner Casas, and Commissioner White …
