Amending Chapter 2 Human Rights Ordinance

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2. Majority to take action. Section 2 -130 (d) has been changed from the previous provision which required concurrence of a majority of the Commission membership to take legal or offical action. 3. Power to subpoena and the Department of Law. The new Section 2 -131 (i) places the subpeona power exclusively with the Com- mission with a veto power remaining with the Department of Law. This is a change from the original provision which allowed the exercise of the subpoena power by and through the Denartment of Law. This change was suggested by the EEOC officers. 4. Elimination of the $500 limit for the granting of damages in employment cases. In Section 2 -131 (i) (1), the $500 limitation on awarding back -pay damages has been eliminated. This was another change which was suggested by the EEOC officers. 5. Definition of "employer" changed to correspond with the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Act. The changes in the definition correspond with the Equal Employment Opportunity Act. 6. Definition of "Public Accommodation" is clarified in Section 2 -128 (j) by way of listing examples of these activities which could come within the term. 7. Definition of "person" is added to the Ordinance in Section 2 -128 (r). This definition reflects that which appears in the state civil rights act. 8. Section 2 -131 (k) is added to permit the Commission to petition the St. Joseph Superior or Circuit Courts for relief in emergency situations. The Commission has in the past been operating under the assumption that it has the authority to issue temporary emergency orders where irreparable would result without such prompt relief. The Commisison believes that the interest of both Complainant and respondent would better be served by having a court make the decision in these emergency situations. Thank you for your attention to these important amendments.