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The South Bend's Human Rights <br />Ordinance at Chapter 2, Article 9, <br />Section 2-129 (a) of the South Bend <br />Municipal Code currently requires <br />all members of the South Bend <br />Human Rights Commission to reside <br />within the corporate limits of the <br />City of South Bend, Indiana. This <br />residency restriction should be <br />amended in the best interests of the <br />HRC. <br />Since 2017 the City has had an <br />interlocal agreement with the County <br />of St. Joseph (“the County”) by which <br />the Commission investigates cases of <br />discrimination within the County <br />under the County’s Human Rights <br />Ordinance which is substantially <br />equivalent to the City’s Human Rights <br />Ordinance. The Interlocal Agreement <br />was approved by the South Bend <br />Common Council in Ordinance No. <br />10542-17, enacted on September 25, <br />2017, reaffirmed by Council <br />Resolution No. 4710-18 on April 23, <br />2018, and by Resolution No. 4794 -19 <br />on June 10, 2019. Because the HRC <br />now investigates cases throughout the <br />County, the Commission membership <br />should reflect this County-wide scope <br />of HRC work. <br />Members of the HRC believe that <br />continuation of the City-only <br />residency requirement for <br />Commission members restricts the <br />Commission’s ability to include <br />within its membership many persons <br />of talent and dedication, who are <br />“representative of the racial, ethnic, <br />religious, economic and educational <br />groups in the community” and who <br />desire to serve the cause of equal <br />opportunity and elimination of <br />discrimination. The HRC has <br />recommended to this Council that <br />Municipal Code Section 2-129 (a) be <br />amended, as expressed in HRC <br />Resolution No. 01-2022 which is <br />Attachment “A” hereto. Accordingly, <br />this ordinance is in the best interest of <br />the City and the area now served by <br />the HRC.