GREETINGS.
WELCOME.
THIS IS THE CIVIL RIGHTS
UTILITIES ECK MOM I CAN
DEVELOPMENT AND ARTS COMMITTEE.
I'M LISA.
THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
REPRESENTING DISTRICT ONE, WEST
SEATTLE AND SOUTH PARK.
ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
WE HAVE A REAPPOINTMENT OF
MICHAEL GARRETT AS THE MEMBER
OF THE SEATTLE LGBTQ
COMMISSION.
HIS REAPPOINTMENT WILL FOLLOW
PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND AFTER HIS I APPOINTMENT.
WE'LL RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON
PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS AND
CLOSED CAPTIONING, SHORT AGENDA
TODAY.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL BEGIN WITH
PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP.
ALEX ZIMMERMAN.
YOU WILL BE KEEPING TIME.
TWO MINUTES.
.
>> NAZI GARBAGE RAT, PURE ANTI
SEMITE AND CRIMINAL, ALL OF YOU
WITHOUT EXCEPTION NOW.
YOU TALK ABOUT DISABLED.
I AM DISABLED TOO.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND EVERY
MEETING, BECAUSE I GO FOR
POSITION NUMBER FIVE.
COUNCIL POSITION NUMBER FIVE.
AND YOU COUNCIL DON'T STOP
HERE.
YOU SIT IN THIS CHAMBER FOR 20
YEARS YOU KNOW RULING THE
REGULATIONS.
YOU KNOW YOU SUPPOSED TO BE
PROTECT ME.
SO NOTHING SURPRISE ME RIGHT
NOW.
SO ALL AMERICA FROM EAST COAST
TO WEST COAST FROM THE ATLANTIC
TO THE STRANGER.
NORTH SEATTLE NUMBER ONE -- A
UNIQUE SITUATION, BECAUSE
COUNCIL GONZALES, SHE SUPPOSED
TO BE OUT FROM THIS.
AND YOU SUPPOSED TO BE DOING
THIS.
BECAUSE YOU REPRESENT CIVIL
RIGHTS.
SHE SUPPOSED TO BE OUT.
FIVE TIMES.
FIVE TIMES SHE'S BROKEN LAW.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.
AND A BROW NAZI GARBAGE RAT
SUPPORT JUAREZ OR MOSIKITA
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU GUYS ?
REPRESENT ONLY 7% OF PEOPLE.
IS THIS A MAFIA?
A PURE FASCIST?
YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEAN.
CONTROL EVERYTHING.
SO ALEX ZIMMERMAN, A JEW, AN
OLD MAN, A DISABLED MAN COME
FOR TWO MINUTES.
NOT BROKEN LAW EVER FOR ONE
SECOND, TRESPASS ALL TIME AGAIN
AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND WHAT DO YOU DO ON THIS,
NOTHING.
WHEN YOU CHAIR ON CIVIL RIGHTS
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE STOPPING
THIS BROWN -- STAND UP SEATTLE.
CLEANSE THIS DIRTY CHAMBER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS
PAYMENT 01266.
>> REAPPOINTMENT OF MICHAEL AS
MEMBER SEATTLE LGBTQ COMMISSION
FOR A TERM TO OCTOBER 31, 2020.
>>> ERICA FROM THE SEATTLE
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS.
>> THANK YOU ERICA,.
>> WE ARE HERE TO DO A
REAPPOINTMENT OF A MEMBER TO
THE SEATTLE LGBT COMMISSION.
THIS IS A MAYOR APPOINTMENT.
CAN WE START OFF WITH A QUICK
OVERVIEW OF THE COMMISSION IS
WHAT IT DOES.
>> I THINK IT'S A CITY COUNCIL
APPOINTMENT?
PERHAPS?
>> OH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
YES.
>> SO YEAH, I STAFF THE SEATTLE
LGBTQ COMMISSION.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THEY HELP
ADVISE CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR,
AND CITY DEPARTMENTS ON ISSUES
PERTAINING TO THE LGBTQ
COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON
THE WORK PLAN AND I'M EXCITED
TO PRESENT THAT TO CITY COUNCIL
IN I BELIEVE THE END OF APRIL.
AND I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE FOR
MICHAEL'S REAPPOINTMENT.
HE'S BEEN GREAT ON THE
COMMISSION.
HE'S BEEN REALLY INVOLVED.
ESPECIALLY AROUND TRANS HEALTH
CARE LAST YEAR.
AND THEN HE'S HOPING TO, YOU
KNOW, CONTINUE SOME OF THAT
WORK ON THE STATE LEVEL AS
WELL.
>> GREAT, AND REMIND ME, WHEN
WAS MICHAEL FIRST APPOINTED?
WAS HE APPOINTED TO FILL A
VACANCY?
>> I BELIEVE SO.
THAT'S WHY HE JOINED IN THE
MIDDLE OF A TERM.
>> GOT IT.
>> I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATES
THOUGH.
I'M SORRY.
>> BUT IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE TERM, RIGHT ? SO THIS WILL
BE HIS FIRST FULL TERM.
GREAT.
AND HIS BACKGROUND AS YOU STATE
IS FOCUSED ON HEALTH CARE AND
THAT IS THE FOCUS HE BRINGS TO
THE COMMISSION.
>> YES.
AND HE ACTUALLY JOINED A
COMMITTEE OF THE COMMISSION
BEFORE HE WAS A COMMISSIONER.
SO HE DID SOME WORK FOR ABOUT
SIX MONTHS BEFORE HE WAS
CONFIRMED.
AND THEN NOW HE WAS JUST THE
LAST, MEANING HE WAS VOTED IN
COCHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY
OUTREACH COMMITTEE.
SO HE'S WORKING ON DEVELOPING
SOME OF THAT WORK PLAN RIGHT
NOW.
>> FANTASTIC.
AND JUST TO RESTATE, YOU'LL BE
JOINING US IN APRIL?
>> YES.
I'M SORRY I DON'T KNOW THE DATE
RIGHT NOW.
>> THE 23rd I BELIEVE.
>> FANTASTIC.
WE'LL HEAR AN OVERVIEW OF THE
WORK PLAN.
WILL COMMISSIONERS BE ABLE TO
JOIN US?
>> FOR SURE THE COCHAIRS AND
COCHAIRS FROM THE OTHER
COMMISSION AS WELL.
>> THAT'S FANTASTIC.
THANKS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS
EITHER.
I WANT TO JUST MAKE A MENTION
OF HOW GREAT IT WAS THAT THE
LGBTQ COMMISSION TOOK AN
EXPLICIT STANCE IN SUPPORT OF
THE TRANS HEALTH CARE DEMANDS
THAT UAW LOCAL 4121 HAD.
THEY ALSO HAD A GREAT ONE-DAY
STRIKE ACTION AROUND ALL THEIR
DEMANDS AND ONE OF THEM WAS
ABOUT EXPANDING HEALTH CARE
RIGHTS FOR THEIR TRANS MEMBERS.
AND MY OFFICE DISCUSSED THIS
WITH THE LGBTQ COMMISSION.
AND THEY WERE VERY OPEN TO
ISSUING A STATEMENT OF
SOLIDARITY WITH THEM.
AND I'M SURE MICHAEL WAS PART
OF THAT AS WELL.
>> MIGHT HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO
DO WITH IT.
GREAT, WITH THAT, I WILL MOVE
APPOINTMENT OF 01266.
>> SECOND.
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE.
>> AYE.
NONE OPPOSED.
NONE ABSTAINING.
MICHAEL'S APPOINTMENT WILL MOVE
TO FULL COUNCIL ON MONDAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ITEM TWO IS DRAFT COUNCIL
BILL REGARDING PUBLIC
ACCOMMODATIONS AND CLOSED
CAPTIONING.
.
>> GREETINGS.
AND WELCOME.
COULD WE START WITH
INTRODUCTIONS ?
>> COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF.
>> ERIC SHARE, COMMISSION
COSHARE FOR PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO START.
>> THANKS ASHA.
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE DISCUSSED -- OR NOT WE.
YOU ALL DISCUSSED THE CONCEPT
AROUND THIS BILL THAT WOULD
REQUIRE CLOSED CAPTIONING IN
ALL AREAS OF PUBLIC
ACCOMMODATIONS A LITTLE WHILE
AGO.
AND SO SINCE THAT TIME, SINCE
HAVING THAT DISCUSSION, WE'VE
DRAFTED LEGISLATION TO PUT THAT
INTO THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
IT WOULD CREATE A NEW CHAPTER
1405 IN THE MUNI CODE.
AND WE MODELED SOME OF THE
ENFORCEMENT AROUND THIS ON HOW
THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS
CURRENTLY ENFORCES ALL GENDER
RESTROOMS.
SO IF IT'S USEFUL, I'LL GO
THROUGH THE MAIN POINTS OF THE
BILL, WHAT ENFORCEMENT LOOKS
LIKE AND THEN WE CAN MOVE FROM
THERE.
>> THAT'D BE PERFECT.
>> OKAY GREAT.
SO WHAT THIS WOULD DO AS I
MENTIONED IS REQUIRE PUBLIC
AREAS OF ALL PLACES OF PUBLIC
ACCOMMODATIONS DURING THEIR
REGULAR HOURS TO ACTIVATE
CLOSED CAPTIONING ON TELEVISION
RECEIVERS.
THERE ARE A FEW EXCEPTIONS.
IF THE TV IS NOT BEING USED IN
THE PUBLIC AREA.
IF THE ONLY TV THAT IS THERE IS
TECHNICALLY INCABLE OF USING
CLOSED CAPTIONS OR THE PROGRAM
ITSELF DOES NOT HAVE CLOSED
CAPTIONING IN IT.
THE WAY ENFORCEMENT IS
CURRENTLY DRAFTED IS BY THE
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS.
IT WILL ONLY BEGIN 180 DAYS
AFTER PASSAGE OF THE BILL
ITSELF TO ALLOW TIME FOR
EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH TO MAKE
PEOPLE AWARE OF THAT
OBLIGATION.
IF AFTER THAT 180 DAY PERIOD,
IF IT TURNS OUT A PERSON IS NOT
IN COMPLIANCE, THEN THE OFFICE
OF CIVIL RIGHTS WILL SEND AN
ADVISORY LETTER.
AT THAT POINT, THE PERSON MUST
PROVIDE A WRITTEN RESPONSE TO
THE OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
WITHIN TEN BUSINESS DAYS.
WHICH DESCRIBES HOW THE
VIOLATION WILL BE FIXED OR
DISPUTING THAT THE VIOLATION
TOOK PLACE AT ALL.
AT THAT POINT, IF THERE'S NO
RESPONSE FROM THE BUSINESS OR
THE DIRECTOR IS NOT SATISFIED
WITH THAT RESPONSE, THE OFFICE
FOR CIVIL RIGHTS HAS THE
ABILITY TO ISSUE A NOTICE OF
VIOLATION, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE
A PENALTY OF UP TO $125 FOR THE
FIRST VIOLATION AND THEN UP TO
$300 FOR THE SECOND VIOLATION.
>>> AT THAT POINT, YOU COULD GO
FURTHER INTO AN APPEAL TO THE
HEARING EXAMINER.
AND THE HEARING EXAMINER CAN
CONSIDER A VARIETY OF FACTORS
IN DETERMINING WHAT A PENALTY
WOULD BE.
AND THOSE FACTORS INCLUDE THE
EXTENT AND NATURE OF THE
PERSON'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE
VIOLATION.
WHETHER HARMS OCCURRED OR WERE
SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF THE
VIOLATION.
THOSE CAN BE ECONOMIC,
FINANCIAL OR OTHERWISE, WHETHER
THEY WERE ISOLATED AND
TEMPORARY OR REPEATED AND
CONTINUOUS.
THE MAGNITUDE AND SERIOUSNESS.
THE COST OF THE CITY OF
INVESTIGATING THE VIOLATION AND
OR CORRECTING AND OR ATTEMPTING
TO CORRECT THE VIOLATION.
AND ANY OTHER FACTS THAT COULD
BEAR ON THE NATURE OR THE
SERIOUSNESS OF THAT VIOLATION.
GIVEN THAT THIS IS GOING --
WOULD LIKELY GO INTO EFFECT --
THE ENFORCEMENT WILL GO INTO
EFFECT 180 DAYS AFTER PASSAGE,
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE OFFICE
OF CIVIL RIGHTS MIGHT NEED
ASSISTANCE IN TERMS OF OUTREACH
AND EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY TO
SMALL BUSINESSES, THOSE WHO MAY
NEED TRANSLATION OR TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO BE AWARE OF THEIR
OBLIGATIONS TO FULLY COMPLY.
AND AS I MENTIONED, SOME OF
THIS WAS MODELED ON THE ALL
GENDER RESTROOM BILL.
SO DEPENDING ON THIS BILL'S
LEVEL OF COMPLIANCE, THERE MAY
ALSO NEED TO BE ADDITIONAL
STAFF TO HELP WITH TECHNICAL
COMPLIANCE.
BUT THAT WON'T BE CLEAR UNTIL
OBVIOUSLY THIS GOES INTO
EFFECT.
AND THE OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
SEES WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
>> AND WHEN YOU SAY IT'S
MODELED OFF OF THE ALL GENDER
RESTROOM BILL, WHAT DO YOU
MEAN?
WHAT'S SIMILAR?
>> IN TERMS OF THE ENFORCEMENT
PIECE.
SO OUR OTHER BILLS -- OTHER
PARTS OF THE MUNI CODE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, COMPLIANCE WITH
PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS,
GENERALLY, THERE'S A FULL
INVESTIGATION PROCESS.
IT GOES STRAIGHT TO NOTICE OF
VIOLATION.
THIS BILL IS CLOSER TO ALL
GENDER RESTROOMS BECAUSE IT
SPEAKS MORE TO HOW TO GET INTO
COMPLIANCE.
SO THE WAY ALL GENDER RESTROOMS
PLAYED OUT IS THAT THERE ARE
VERY FEW BUSINESSES THAT AREN'T
WILLING TO ACTUALLY CREATE AN
ALL GENDER RESTROOM.
IT'S MORE ABILITY KNOWING WHAT
COMPLIANCE MEANS.
-- MORE ABOUT KNOWING WHAT
COMPLIANCE MEANS.
AND BEING AWARE OF THE
OBLIGATION, THIS IS SIMILAR TO
THAT.
IT'S UNLIKELY THAT THERE WILL
BE BUSINESSES THAT WILL REFUSE
TO DO THIS.
OF COURSE THERE MAY BE.
AND THAT'S WHY THE OFFICE FOR
CIVIL RIGHTS HAS THE DISCRETION
TO ISSUE THE NOTICE OF
VIOLATION.
AND DECIDE WHAT THE PENALTY IS.
BUT THIS WILL BE ABOUT
EDUCATING BUSINESSES WHAT THE
REQUIREMENTS ARE.
AND MAKING SURE THEY KNOW HOW
TO COMPLY.
EVEN IF IT'S AS SIMPLE AS, YOU
KNOW, WHERE ON THE REMOTE YOU
NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TURN
ON THE SETTINGS, AND WHICH
SPECIFIC SETTINGS IT IS.
THERE ARE TECHNICAL STANDARDS
IN HERE.
IT'S FOCUSED MORE ON THAT.
>> FANTASTIC, WE'RE JOINED BY
COUNCIL MEMBER O'BRIEN.
I THINK -- THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US, AN IMPORTANT POINT
TO PUT RIGHT UP FRONT, FOR
FOLKS WHO DON'T KNOW IT, IS
THAT SINCE 2002, THE FCC
REQUIRED CLOSED CAPTIONING
REQUIREMENTS IN ALL DIGITAL
TELEVISION RECEIVERS.
WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT,
YOUR TELEVISION VERY, VERY
LIKELY HAS THIS CAPACITY.
IT'S LITERALLY JUST A MATTER OF
TURNING IT ON.
COUNCIL MEMBER SWAN.
>> IF YOU CAN GO OVER HOW HAS
THE COMPLIANCE -- I MEAN HOW
LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE THE ALL
GENDER RESTROOM BILL WAS PASSED
? WHAT'S BEEN THE TRACK RECORD
FOR THAT?
DOES IT OFFER GUIDANCE FOR US
IN THIS SENSE?
AND I AGREE WITH THE POINT THAT
COUNCIL MEMBER MADE, IT SHOULD
NOT BE HARD FOR BUSINESSES TO
COMPLY.
BECAUSE FCC HAS MADE IT SO THAT
YOU CAN USE IT.
AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I
USE IT.
I FIND IT VERY HELPFUL.
AND I'M RUNNING INTO MORE AND
MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
NECESSARILY HEARING IMPAIRED
BUT THEY ACTUALLY APPRECIATE
THAT.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE
AN EASY THING.
YOU KNOW.
ONE OF THE EASIEST THINGS TO
DO.
>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY THE
UNDERSTANDING AT THE MOMENT.
FOR ALL GENDER RESTROOMS, WHAT
I UNDERSTAND, IN TALKING TO THE
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, MOST
OF THE WORK HAS BEEN AROUND NOT
NECESSARILY ISSUING A VIOLATION
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT WHAT COMPLIANCE LOOKS LIKE.
SO LIKE TAKING A PHOTO OF THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
RESTROOMS BEFORE AND THE
RESTROOMS NOW THAT HAVE THE
SIGN THAT SAYS ALL GENDER
RESTROOM.
SO IT'S BEEN VERY MUCH MORE,
THE STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING
AROUND TECHNICAL COMPLIANCE.
THAN THEY HAVE AROUND
INVESTIGATING INTENTIONAL
VIOLATIONS OR REFUSALS TO GO
ABOUT COMPLYING.
AND THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT
THAT MAY BE A LITTLE MORE
CHALLENGING FOR THIS BILL IS
DETERMINING HOW EXACTLY
COMPLIANCE WILL BE SHOWN.
BECAUSE IT IS SO EASY TO TURN
IT ON.
IT'S ALSO SUPER EASY TO TURN IT
OFF.
SO IN THOSE PARTICULAR
SITUATIONS, IT MAY BE DIFFICULT
TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT WHAT IT
LOOKS LIKE TO PROVIDE A WRITTEN
RESPONSE TO THE DIRECTOR.
AND PROVE COMPLIANCE.
SO IT'S LIKELY THAT IN RULE
MAKING, THERE WILL BE PUBLIC
INPUT ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS
LIKE, HOW ONE WOULD GO ABOUT
PROVING COMPLIANCE AND WHAT
THAT LOOKS LIKE ON AN ONGOING
BASIS.
>> GREAT.
THERE MAY BE LESSONS TO LEARN
FROM PORTLAND'S EXPERIENCE.
THEY HAVE A SIMILAR PIECE OF
LEGISLATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ALSO
TAKING A SIMILAR APPROACH
TOWARDS ENFORCEMENT, HAVING IT
BE VERY COMPLIANCE BASED RATHER
THAN PUNITIVE.
THEY MIGHT BE WORTH CHECKING
OUT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG
PORTLAND'S ORDINANCE HAS BEEN
IN PLAY THERE, PERHAPS YOU DO.
>> IT'S BEEN THERE A YEAR AND A
HALF.
>> A YEAR AND A HALF OKAY.
>> THERE WERE A LOT OF
LOOPHOLES IN THEIR BILL.
AND I RESEARCHED OTHER CITIES
IN STATES NATIONWIDE TO TRY TO
FILL SOME OF THOSE LOOPHOLES TO
PREVENT THOSE ISSUES FROM
COMING -- BECOMING HERE.
LIKE HAVING THE CAPTIONING ON,
THE BUSINESS CAN ALSO MAKE THE
CAPTIONING DIFFICULT TO SEE IF
IT'S A GRAY BACKGROUND OR A
VERY SMALL FONT.
PEOPLE WITH VISUAL ISSUES WILL
NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE
CAPTIONING.
SO IF FOR EXAMPLE THE
CAPTIONING RIGHT NOW WITH YOUR
TELEVISION, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
WE WANT TO SEE.
SO WE PUT SPECS WITHIN THE BILL
TO CLARIFY WHAT THE CAPTIONING
NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE.
>> THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THAT RESEARCH ON
THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER CITIES
AND THE GUIDANCE THAT YOU'VE
PROVIDED US IN NOT ONLY
IDENTIFYING THIS AS SOMETHING
THAT THE COUNCIL SHOULD TAKE UP
BUT ALSO IN WORKING WITH
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF ON
DRAFTING THE LEGISLATION AS
WELL.
IT'S VERY APPRECIATED.
I WANT TO MENTION THAT WE'VE
RECEIVED A LETTER OF SUPPORT
FROM THE HEARING LOSS
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA.
AND WE'VE RECEIVED ALSO A
NUMBER OF LETTERS AND EMAILS
FROM CONSTITUENTS OVER THE LAST
FEW DAYS.
SOMEBODY MUST HAVE TOLD THEM
THAT WE WERE HEARING THIS IN
COMMITTEE.
THE PLAN IS TO INTRODUCE A BILL
NEXT -- IN TWO MONDAYS.
AND THEN HEAR IT IN COMMITTEE
IN OUR FIRST APRIL COMMITTEE,
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> MARCH 26th.
ALL RIGHT.
I'M GETTING ALL THE DAYS WRONG.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
AND THEN I JUST ALSO WANT TO
CUE UP THE FACT THAT I'LL BE
WORKING TO GET, AND SOLICIT,
THE INPUT OF BOTH THE SEATTLE
RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, THE
SEATTLE HOTEL ASSOCIATION, AND
THE MAYOR'S SMALL BUSINESS
ADVISORY COUNCIL TO GET THEIR
INPUT ON THE BILL AS WELL
BEFORE A COMMITTEE VOTE.
SO IF THERE ARE ARE NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS ON THIS, NO?
ALL RIGHT, WELL, FANTASTIC,
THAT'S OUR LAST ITEM ON OUR
VERY SHORT AGENDA TODAY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU.
AND IT'S 9:50:00 A.M.
AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.