Agenda - 09-14-1993 - No Item Number

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1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Action Agenda Item No. ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: Sept. 14, 1993 SUBJECT: Proposed Civil Rights Ordinance DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC HEARING: x Yes No ATTACHMENT(S) : INFORMATION CONTACT: (under separate cover) Lucy Lewis, ext 2251 • Ordinance Summary • Proposed Civil Rights Ordinance • 1991 Enabling Legislation TELEPHONE NUMBER: • 1993 Enabling Legislation Hillsborough - 732-8181 Chapel Hill - 968-4501 Durham - 688-7331 Mebane - 227-2031 PURPOSE: To receive public comment on the proposed civil rights ordinance. BACKGROUND The Board of County Commissioners established the Orange County Human Relations Commission (HRC) in 1987 in order "to encourage mutual understanding and fair treatment of all citizens and . . . encourage actions which reduce tensions among groups of citizens in Orange County. " In 1991 , the HRC duly organized, advertised, and conducted public hearings on discrimination in areas including employment, housing, and public accomodations. The HRC has determined that discrimination exists in Orange County in areas including employment, housing, and public accomodations on the basis of, or because of, race, color, religions, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status and veteran status. A public hearing was advertised publicly and held on April 1 , 1991 to receive public comment on enabling legislation which would authorize Orange County to adopt and implement a civil rights ordinance. This enabling legislation was passed by the General Assembly on June 10, 1991 . In 1993, technical ammendments were proposed to the original enabling legislation to include enforcement authority and to add familial status and national origin as protected classes; this enabling legislation was passed on July 16, 1993 . 1