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8 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Mr. Norris said he is frustrated by the mindset that if this does not include enforcement <br />powers, it wi ll not be anything more than what we are doing with the DOR . He said there are <br />measures we can take to go much further to reduce disparities. We should adopt a model that <br />addresses the institutional, systemic discrimination in our City. This ordinance w ould only <br />mirror existing protections. He said we need to include gender identity and sexual orientation, <br />and if it is challenged, so be it. <br /> <br />Mr. Huja said there is no doubt discrimination in this community. He said he would like to <br />add gender identity an d ex -felons as protected classes. The current proposal handles housing and <br />employment issues well. He supports a sunset clause for review of the Commission in five <br />years. He supports hiring one full time person and paying experts on an as -needed basis. <br /> <br />Ms. Szakos said we need to evaluate the core roles of government as we look at our budget. <br />We have to pit important things against each other during the budgeting process because of <br />limited resources, and that is troublesome. <br /> <br />Ms. Galvin said we should m ove money over from the DOR for the position and keep level <br />funding. She asked for more information about the mechanics of using local mediation. <br /> <br />Ms. Smith said she thinks nine members is too small for a human rights commission. She <br />asked to add the word s "at least", on page one under section 2 -432 so that we have flexibility on <br />the number of commissioners . She asked for socioeconomic status and geography to be added <br />under 2 -432 (a). <br /> <br />Mr. Ellis said Seattle had 15 members on their commission, and Fairf ax had ten . Mr. Huja <br />said a commission larger than nine people will be hard to manage. Mr. Jones said we envisioned <br />work groups. <br /> <br />Ms. Szakos recommende d a change to section 2 -4 31 (a), to remove "pursuant to the <br />authority...", in order to add "sexual orient ation or sexual identity" as a protected class . <br /> <br />Mr. Brown said we can keep language as is, but define discrimination on the basis of sex as <br />being including but not limited to discrimination on the basis of sexual identity or sexual <br />orientation. <br /> <br />Ms. Smith asked how specific the ordinance should be. She asked for a deletion of the <br />stipulation in 2 -432 (e) that the Director "must be full time in that capacity", because it limits <br />flexibility. <br /> <br />Mr. Norris asked for stronger language regarding investigating the impacts of p ublic <br />policy. Mr. Brown said this might fit well under section 2 -434. Mr. Huja and Ms. Smith agreed <br />that we should add the language to this section. <br /> <br /> Mr. Norris said we s hould strengthen section 2 -435 regarding an advocate to ensure <br />localized enforcement. Mr. Huja and Ms. Galvin said they would need more information before <br />supporting this. Mr. Jones said staff will provide more information before the second reading.