Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

REGULAR MEETING MONDAY, January 27, 2020 HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MINUTES The Human Rights Commission convened in a regular meeting on Monday, January 27, 2020 at 301 West Second Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Sareta Davis called the Board Meeting to order at 5:33 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Davis, Vice Chair Caballero, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, Commissioner Santana, Commissioner Weigel, and Commissioner White. Staff in Attendance: Jonathan Babiak, Human Resources Coordinator, Human Resources Department CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. 1. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Davis announced the Undoing Racism and Community Organizing workshop hosted by the city of Austin Equity Office and facilitated by the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond: March 26 to March 28. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. The minutes from the regular meeting of November 25, 2019 were approved on a vote of 8-0: Commissioner Museitif motion, Commissioner Garry Brown second. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Caballero, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, and Commissioner White. Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Santana, and Commissioner Weigel were absent. 3. NEW BUSINESS Cemetery. (Davis/Caballero) a. Presentation by Dr. Fred McGhee and discussion regarding the situation with Oakwood Dr. Fred McGhee and Dale Flatt addressed the Commission and answered questions from the Commission. The Commission discussed this item. The Commission took no action on this item. b. Presentation from a representative from Go! Austin/Vamos! Austin (GAVA), and discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council to include Equity Overlay for the City of Austin’s Land Development Code. (Davis/Casas) Monica Guzman addressed the Commission and answered questions from the Commission. The Commission discussed this item. Chair Davis presented the draft 1  recommendation. The Commission worked in a collaborative and informal manner to finalize the recommendation. After the draft was finalized, Chair Davis moved for adoption, Commissioner Griffith second. As amended, the Commission adopted the recommendation on a vote of 11-0. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Caballero, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, Commissioner Santana, Commissioner Weigel, and Commissioner White. c. Possible presentation by an Austin business owner, and discussion and possible action on a recommendation to Austin City Council to ban cashless retail establishments. (Brown, G./Santana) The Commission discussed this item. Commissioner Garry Brown presented the draft recommendation. The Commission worked in a collaborative and informal manner to finalize the recommendation. After the draft was finalized, Commissioner Garry Brown moved for adoption, Commissioner Santana second. As amended, the Commission adopted the recommendation on a vote of 11-0. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Caballero, Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, Commissioner Museitif, Commissioner Santana, Commissioner Weigel, and Commissioner White. d. Discussion on United Nations 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and what qualifies as human rights in the 21st Century. (White/Caballero) The Commission discussed this item. The Commission took no action on this item. e. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to Austin City Council to Cease Arrest and/or Prosecution for Limited Controlled Substance Possession. (White/Caballero) By unanimous consent, the Commission agreed to take up this item on a future agenda. The Commission took no action on this item. f. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to Austin City Council to Cease Arrest and/or Prosecution Against Sex Workers. (White/Caballero) The Commission discussed this item. Commissioner White presented the draft recommendation. The Commission worked in a collaborative and informal manner to finalize the recommendation. After the draft was finalized, Commissioner White moved for adoption, Commissioner Weigel second. As amended, the Commission adopted the recommendation on a vote of 7-1. Voting in favor were Vice Chair Caballero, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Santana, Commissioner Weigel, and Commissioner White. Voting against was Chair Davis. Commissioner Breckenridge, Commissioner Griffith, and Commissioner Museitif were absent. g. Discussion and possible action on the City of Austin and Austin ISD creating an Anti- School Closure Plan. (Breckenridge/Brown, J.) The Commission discussed this item. The Commission took no action on this item. 2  h. Discussion and possible action on the City of Austin enacting an Anti-Displacement Housing Program. (Breckenridge/Brown, J.) The Commission discussed this item. The Commission took no action on this item. i. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to Austin City Council to Adopt a Climate Emergency Plan. (White/Caballero) The Commission discussed this item. Commissioner White presented the draft recommendation. The Commission worked in a collaborative and informal manner to finalize the recommendation. After the draft was finalized, Commissioner White moved for adoption, Commissioner Santana second. As amended, the Commission adopted the recommendation on a vote of 6-0. Voting in favor were Chair Davis, Vice Chair Caballero, Commissioner Garry Brown, Commissioner Santana, Commissioner Weigel, and Commissioner White. Commissioner Breckenridge Commissioner Jamarr Brown, Commissioner Casas, Commissioner Griffith, and Commissioner Museitif were absent. j. Discussion regarding planning and logistics of February 24, 2020 meeting agenda item related to Community Budget Forum. (Davis/Caballero) The Commission discussed this item. The Commission took no action on this item. a. The Commission discussed the following key priority areas of concern for 2019-2020: 4. OLD BUSINESS i. Institutional Equity ii. Environment & Land Use iii. Health Access & Nutrition iv. Autonomy & Human Rights ADJOURNMENT Chair Davis adjourned the meeting at 8:57 p.m. on unanimous consent. 3