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T_r <br />r, cie <br />MAC 2r <br />BILL NO. 14-22 DAWN M.JONES <br />CITY CLERK,SOUTH BEND, IN <br />ORDINANCE NO. <br />AN ORDINANACE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, <br />INDIANA,AMENDING THE SOUTH BEND MUNICIPAL CODE AT CHAPTER 2, <br />ARTICLE 9, SECTION 2-129 TO CHANGE THE RESIDENCY RESTRICTION OF <br />COMMISSION MEMBERS <br />STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT <br />The South Bend's Human Rights Ordinance at Chapter 2, Article 9, Section 2-129 (a) of the <br />South Bend Municipal Code, currently requires all members of the South Bend Human Rights <br />Commission(HRC) to reside within the corporate limits of the City of South Bend, Indiana. <br />This residency restriction should be amended in the best interests of the HRC. <br />Since 2017 the City has had an interlocal agreement with the County of St. Joseph ("the <br />County")by which the Commission investigates cases of discrimination within the County under <br />the County's Human Rights Ordinance which is substantially equivalent to the City's Human <br />Rights Ordinance. The Interlocal Agreement was approved by the South Bend Common Council <br />in Ordinance No.10542-17,enacted on September 25,2017,reaffirmed by Council Resolution No. <br />4710-18 on April 23, 2018, and by Resolution No.4794 -19 on June 10, 2019. Because the HRC <br />now investigates cases throughout the County, the Commission membership should reflect this <br />County-wide scope of HRC work. <br />Members of the HRC believe that continuation of the City-only residency requirement for <br />Commission members restricts the Commission's ability to include within its membership many <br />persons of talent and dedication, who are"representative of the racial, ethnic,religious, economic <br />and educational groups in the community" and who desire to serve the cause of equal opportunity <br />and elimination of discrimination. The HRC has recommended to this Council that Municipal <br />Code Section 2-129(a) be amended, as expressed in HRC Resolution No. 01-2022 which is <br />Attachment"A"hereto. Accordingly,this ordinance is in the best interest of the City and the area <br />now served by the HRC. <br />1