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75 <br /> Revised 8/1/94 <br /> HUMAN RIGHTS ORDINANCE <br /> GOAL: DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A HUMAN RIGHTS ORDINANCE FOR ORANGE <br /> COUNTY. <br /> BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES <br /> In April 1991, the Board of Commissioners held a public hearing <br /> to obtain citizen comment on legislation which would authorize <br /> Orange County to adopt a Civil Rights Ordinance. The General <br /> Assembly passed the necessary enabling legislation in June 1991; <br /> the section which included "sexual orientation" as one of the <br /> protected classes was deleted in committee. <br /> Staff subsequently completed Commissioner objectives to: <br /> • Pursue status as a deferral agency from EEOC and HUD for <br /> complaint handling, and <br /> • Complete review and development of a Human Rights Ordinance <br /> Staff determined that modifications were necessary if the <br /> ordinance were to meet federal and state standards for local <br /> implementation. The County Commissioners proposed technical • <br /> amendments to include enforcement authority and add national <br /> origin as a protected class, and in July 1993 the necessary <br /> enabling legislation was passed by the General Assembly. <br /> The Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on the Civil <br /> Rights Ordinance in September 1993. The ordinance was then <br /> revised to reflect citizen comment. In December 1993, the Board • <br /> of Commissioners voted to adopt the revised ordinance at a future <br /> date, contingent on the support of a substantial number of • <br /> municipalities. <br />