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LAW OFFICES <br /> COLEMAN, GLEDHILL & HARGRAVE ALONZO BROWN COLEMAN,JR. 2 <br /> GEOFFREY E.GLEDHILL <br /> 129 E.TRYON STREET DOUGLAS HARGRAVE <br /> P.O.DRAWER 1529 KIM K.STEFFAN <br /> HILLSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27278 <br /> JANET B.DUTTON <br /> (919)732-2196 <br /> FAX(919)732 7997 <br /> March 24 , 1993 <br /> The Honorable Representative Anne C. Barnes <br /> The Honorable Representative Joe Hackney <br /> The Honorable Senator Howard Lee <br /> The Honorable Senator Russell Walker <br /> State Legislative Building <br /> Raleigh, North Carolina 27611 <br /> Re: Amendment to the Enabling Legislation for the <br /> Orange County Civil Rights Ordinance <br /> Dear Representatives Barnes and Hackney and Senators Lee and <br /> Walker: <br /> The Board of Commissioners of Orange County has asked me to <br /> deliver to you its Resolution adopted March 23, 1993 requesting the <br /> introduction during the 1993 Session of the General Assembly of a <br /> Local Bill which will clarify and provide specifics to its present <br /> authority to adopt a local Civil Rights Ordinance. A copy of that <br /> Resolution is enclosed. The substance of the legislation requested <br /> is Attachment A to the Resolution. <br /> Chapter 246 of the 1991 Session Laws (Senate Bill 623) enabled <br /> Orange County to adopt a Civil Rights Ordinance. The work done by <br /> Orange County developing a Civil Rights Ordinance led the Board of <br /> Commissioners to conclude that there are advantages to the citizens <br /> of Orange County, potential complainants and respondents alike, if <br /> all the laws, federal, State and local, relating to discrimination <br /> are administered locally. The Board has fashioned a Civil Rights <br /> Ordinance which it thinks accomplishes that goal and which it has <br /> reason to believe will be accepted as "substantially equivalent" in <br /> the areas of employment and housing by the agencies of the United <br /> States responsible for making those determinations . Substantial <br /> equivalency is a necessary finding by the federal government before <br /> it will refer cases filed with it to a local government for <br /> handling. This referral has the potential for some level of <br /> federal funding. <br /> The Civil Rights Ordinance enabling legislation contained in <br /> Senate Bill 623 has neither the coverage (protected classes) nor <br /> the specific procedures and remedies needed for substantial <br /> equivalency. The rewrite of this enabling legislation, which is <br />