Human Rights Commission Regular Meeting of the Human Rights Commission - Austin City Hall, Board & Commission Room, Room 1101 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Regular Meeting Monday, March 28, 2022 5:30 p.m. – Adjournment Austin City Hall, Board & Commission Room, Room 1101 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the Human Rights Commission may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may speak up to three minutes on an item only once either in-person or remotely. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. To register call or email the board liaison at 512-974-3250 or andrea.jordan@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS: Sareta Davis, Chair Isabel Casas, Vice Chair Malenie Areche Jared Breckenridge Kimberly Brienzi Garry Brown Jamarr Brown Kristian Caballero Idona Griffith Maram Museitif Alicia Weigel CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL AGENDA Members of the public signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed three minutes to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. a. Consider approval of the minutes from the Human Rights Commission’s February 28, b. Consider approval of the minutes from the Human Rights Commission’s Special Called 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2022, Regular Meeting. Meeting on March 4, 2022. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion of briefing on legislation that passed that affects the city – presented by the City’s Intergovernmental Relations Office (IGRO) sponsored by (Davis/Casas) 3. OLD BUSINESS a. Commissioners will report on and discuss the status of the Commission’s key priority areas of concern for 2021-2022, including plans and strategies for meeting those key priority areas of concern: i. Institutional Equity ii. Environment & Land Use iii. Health Access & Nutrition iv. Autonomy & Human Rights ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Andrea Jordan, Office of Civil Rights, at (512) 974-3250 for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Human Rights Commission, please contact Andrea Jordan at (512) 974-3250 or visit http://www.austintexas.gov/hrc.
REGULAR MEETING MONDAY, February 28, 2022 HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MINUTES The Human Rights Commission convened in a regular meeting on Monday, February 28, 2022 at City of Austin Permitting & Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Room 1406, Austin TX 78752. Chair Sareta Davis called the Board Meeting to order at 5:40 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Davis, Vice Chair Casas, Commissioner Areche, Commissioner Brienzi, Commissioner Garry Brown, and Commissioner Weigel. Staff in Attendance: Andrea Jordan, Investigator, Office of Civil Rights (OCR); Jonathan Babiak, Business Process Consultant, OCR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. The minutes from the regular meeting of November 22, 2021 were approved on a vote of 6-0: Chair Davis motion, Commissioner Garry Brown second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Casas, Commissioner Areche, Commissioner Brienzi, Commissioner Garry Brown, and Commissioner Weigel. Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Griffith, and Commissioner Museitif were absent. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Presentation by Edna Yang, Co-Executive Director, American Gateways, followed by discussion and possible action regarding an update on the successes of the American Gateways program serving the low income immigrant community and request for support in making immigration legal services a continued priority in the city’s budget for next year. (Davis/Casas) Edna Yang, Co-Executive Director, American Gateways presented to the Commission and answered questions from the Commission. The Commission discussed this item. The Commission took no action on this item. b. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to City Council related to the City of Austin Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget and Strategic Direction 2023: Economic Opportunity and Affordability; Mobility; Safety; Health and Environment; Culture and Lifelong Learning; and Government That Works for All. (Davis/Casas) The Commission discussed this item. The Commission took no action on this item. 1 c. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to City Council and the City Manager to strengthen policies regarding investigative authority for the City of Austin Office of Police Oversight. (Brown, G./Davis) The Commission discussed this item. Chair Davis moved to adopt the recommendation, Commissioner Garry Brown second. The recommendation was adopted on a vote of 6-0. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Casas, Commissioner Areche, Commissioner Brienzi, Commissioner Garry Brown, and Commissioner Weigel. Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Caballero, Commissioner Griffith, and Commissioner Museitif were absent. d. Discussion and possible action regarding commissioner nominations to the Joint Inclusion …
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Monday, March 28, 2022 MINUTES The Human Rights Commission convened in a regular meeting on Monday, March 28, 2022, at 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701. Chair Davis called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Sareta Davis. Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Isabel Casas, Idona Griffith, Alicia Weigel, Garry Brown, Malenie Areche, Maram Museitif. Commissioners Absent: Jared Breckenridge, Kimberly Brienzi, Jamarr Brown, and Kristian Caballero. Staff in Attendance: Andrea Jordan. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Adam Orman: Speaking on hate crime within the city’s protocols and processes. Sharyn Vane: Speaking on the rise of hate incidents. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chair Davis made a motion to approve the minutes from the Human Rights Commission regular meeting of February 28, 2022. Commissioner Brown seconded the motion. The motion passed on a vote of 6-0-1 with Commissioners Breckenridge, Brienzi, J. Brown, and Calaballero absent. Commissioner Museitif abstained. The Commission did not take action on the minutes from the Human Rights Commission's March 4, 2022, Special Meeting. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion of briefing on legislation that passed that affects the city – presented by the City’s Intergovernmental Relations Office (IGRO) sponsored by (Davis/Casas) The Commission did not act on the new business. No report/presentations. 3. OLD BUSINESS a. Commissioners will report on and discuss the status of the Commission’s key priority areas of concern for 2021-2022, including plans and strategies for meeting those key priority areas of concern: i. Institutional Equity ii. Environment & Land Use iii. Health Access & Nutrition iv. Autonomy & Human Rights Commissioner Weigel to sponsor further discussion and possible action about hate crimes in the City of Austin from public communication. Commissioner Davis co-sponsored. Commissioner Museitif to sponsor an investigation regarding the change and turnover from the Office of Civil Rights. Commissioner G. Brown co-sponsored. Chair Davis made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:33pm; Commissioner Brown seconded the motion. The motion passed on a vote of 7-0 with Commissioners Breckenridge, Brienzi, and J. Brown, Caballero absent.
