Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING MINUTES MONDAY MAY 20, 2024 The Human Rights Commission convened in a special called meeting on May 20, 2024, at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr. in Austin, Texas. Chair Duhon called the Human Rights Commission meeting to order at 6:07 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Kolby Duhon, Chair Gabriella Zeidan, Vice Chair Harriet Kirsh Pozen Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Meebs Aslam Danielle Bryant Jeffrey Clemmons Morgan Davis Mariana Krueger Commissioners Absent: Srini Raghavan Michael Stevenson Alicia Weigel PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 1 Approve the minutes of the Human Rights Commission meeting on April 22, 2024. The minutes from the meeting of April 22, 2024, were approved on Commissioner Clemmons’ Motion, Commissioner Krueger’s second on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Raghavan, Stevenson, and Weigel were absent. 2. Approve a recommendation to condemn the enactment of the State of Texas' Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ban (Senate Bill 17) and its effect on the University of Texas. The recommendation was approved with the following friendly amendments on Vice Chair Zeidan’s motion, Commissioner Kirsh Pozen’s second on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Raghavan, Stevenson, and Weigel were absent. The friendly amendment from Chair Duhon was to add a section six to the Be It Resolved Section to read as follows. This was accepted by the maker of the motion, Vice Chair Zeidan. “6. The Commission calls on Council to support budget recommendation 20240325-06 titled Addressing the Ban on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives passed by this body at the March 25th, 2024 meeting.” The friendly amendment from Commissioner Clemmons was to revise section five of the Be It Resolved section to read as follows. This was accepted by the maker of the motion, Vice Chair Zeidan. “5. The Commission recommends the City Clerk to forward a copy of this resolution to the Governor of Texas, the Lieutenant Governor, Chair of the Texas Legislature Higher Education Committee, members of the Texas Legislature, the President of the University of Texas at Austin, and other relevant stakeholders.” Approve a recommendation to call on City Council to engage with the University of Texas to cease the use of police force to suppress student protests, work with student activists to find peaceful and constructive solutions, protect free speech and peaceful protest, protect student rights, and call on City Council to investigate the use of force and arrests of student protesters, faculty, and media. The recommendation was approved with the following friendly amendments on Commissioner Clemmons’ motion, Commissioner Bryant’s second on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Raghavan, Stevenson, and Weigel were absent. The friendly amendment from Vice Chair Zeidan was to revise the third Wheres clause to read as follows. This was accepted by the maker of the motion, Commissioner Clemmons. “WHEREAS, the use of law enforcement agencies to silence dissenting voices is an affront to these principles, representing a concerning escalation of tactics that undermines the very fabric of our democratic freedoms, we cannot stand idly by, as overzealous law enforcement curtails the rights of our city's youth.” 2 3. The friendly amendment from Commissioner Krueger was to revise the first sentence of the And Further Resolved clause to read as follows. This was accepted by the maker of the motion, Commissioner Clemmons. “AND FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Human Rights Commission calls on the Austin City Council to investigate the recent use of force and arrests of student protesters, faculty, and media.” FUTURE AGEDNA ITEMS Commissioner Aslam and Chair Duhon requested a future agenda item related to test strip bans. ADJOURNMENT Chair Duhon adjourned the meeting at 6:50 p.m. without objection. The minutes were approved at the June 24, 2024, meeting on Commissioner Clemmons’ motion, Commissioner Kirsh Pozen’s second on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Davis and Weigel were off the dais. Commissioner Kreuger was absent. 3