Commission on Human Rights Meeting

Date: March 27, 2020

Time: 2:00 - 11:59 p.m.

Registration Required: No

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Agenda

Zoom Teleconferencing

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://zoom.us/j/938519316?pwd=L2puUnoxaElYSUN5cGFteEpGejM3QT09

Meeting ID: 938-519-316 Password: 290333

First District: Howard Sapper (Officer at Large), Dmitra Smith (Chair)
Second District: Faith Ross (Vice Chair), Zahrya Garcia
Third District: open
Fourth District: open
Fifth District: Christopher Kerosky, Tamara Murrell, Jerry Threet

Call to Order – Mission Statement – Introductions – Smith
Approval of the March 27, 2020 Agenda – Smith
- Due to Brown Act Requirements, only changing the order of, or deletion of items may be allowed. New items may not be added unless imperative for emergency circumstances.
Openings & Appointments – Smith
- District openings in 1st, 2nd, 3rd (3), 4th (3)
- Potential new commissioner in 5th district
Public Comment on Non-Agendized Items – Smith
- Public comment is limited to two minutes per topic.
Regular Calendar – Smith
Discussion and Possible Action to Follow on Items Below:
1. Sonoma County Human Rights Visibility Project — ALL
  
  Goals: Track human rights violations by type and severity with public comment by year, aids in reports to BOS and helps partner orgs in advocacy for funding and policy at the local, state and federal level.
  Purpose: launched to address Covid-19 but will continue as a permanent county wide data collection tool.
  Timeline: Launch by April 15th (sooner if possible)
  
  Methodology: reviewed existing human rights trackers
  Stop AAPI Hate Covid-19 Website
  Hatewatch
  
  Data Collection System: Survey Monkey vs Google Forms
  Quick table comparison here
  
  Prefer Survey Monkey--used before on the school climate survey-- more options, better graphics/design options, speaks 55 languages.
  
  Data:
  Organize survey by HR areas, using UDHR articles as a guide. Questions will be within each section.
  
  There will be crossover.
  
  Example: a hospitality worker reporting sexual assault might choose Employment and Labor or Personal Safety.
  
  Homelessness would also have personal safety questions.
  
  All topics would ask if the participant is a member of the LGBTQ community or a member of a recognized indigenous tribal group.
  
  Should we model it after Stop AAPI Hate (simple google form)
  
  Or different topic buttons for people to click on?
  
  Sample Reporting Areas:
  Criminal Justice System (DA, Criminal Court, Police Departments, Sheriff Patrol, Probation, Attorney General)
  
  Employment and Labor: Wage Violations/Job Health and Safety/Worker Organizing
  
  Education: School Climate/Civil Rights Protections/Special Education/Accessibility
  
  Family Courts: Child Custody/Divorce and Separation
  
  Health Care: Access/Availability/Denial of Care
  
  Homelessness: Access to Services/Shelter Conditions/Quality of Supports
  
  Housing: Evictions/Rental Conditions/Landlord Harassment
  
  Immigration: ICE/County Systems/Exploitation
  
  Incarceration: Solitary Confinement/Abuse in Detention/Access to Medical Care/
  
  Law Enforcement: Use of Force/Profiling/Inaccurate reporting
  
  LGBTQ+ Rights: Discrimination/Family/Courts/LE/Trans Rights/Crackdown on Activism
  
  Personal Safety: Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault/Human Trafficking
  
  For All Topics:
  Date, time, place of occurrence, etc.
  
  Witnesses, if any, willing to be identified
  
  Perpetrator, offenders impacting the complainant's Human Rights (could be as little as Human Resources eligibility worker, Deputy Sheriff, e.g.)
  
  Demographics are suggested but not required so people feel safe.
  
  Additional comment section for all areas
  
  We must be clear that we are collecting and tracking, that we cannot guarantee a response to entries.
  
  Ask permission to share information with referral agencies or not?
  
  We can include a list of referral links though.
  
  Questions/Feedback:
  Need to delegate topics for each commissioner to supply questions based on their area(s) of focus/expertise.
  
  Can ask the Junior Commission to collaborate and include in meetings.
  
  CHR will review and refine, and share the survey with front-line community partner orgs before we launch.
Ad Hoc, Liaison, Project Updates – All – When Applicable
ALL REGULAR AD HOC COMMITTEES, LIAISONS AND PROJECTS CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON SCHR VISIBILITY PROJECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
1. Ad hoc and Standing Committees
  - Immigrants’ Rights – Kerosky
  - LGBTQ+ Rights – Murrell
  - Oral History Project – Ross, Smith, Threet
  - Outreach – All
  - Rights of People With Disabilities – Sapper
2. Liaisons & Projects
  - Homelessness Liaison – Threet
  - Independent Office of Law Enforcement & Outreach Liaison – Open
  - Junior Commissioner Project – Smith, Murrell
  - Racial Justice Liaison – Smith
Additional Agenda Items For Next Commission Meeting – Smith
Adjournment

Meeting Documentation

Minutes

Instructions for the Public

In accordance with AB 361, Governor Newsom’s March 4, 2020 State of Emergency due to COVID19 pandemic, Sonoma County Public Health Officer’s Recommendation for Teleconference Meetings, and the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Resolution 21-0399, the Commission on the Status of Women meetings will be held virtually.

Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 361 (AB 361) on September 16, 2021, which amends the Ralph M.Brown Act to provide additional provisions that allow meetings of legislative bodies to continue to be conducted via teleconference. This Resolution makes the findings to confirm the current conditions allow teleconference meetings pursuant to AB 361 for the Board of Supervisors and on behalf of all of the commissions and committees created by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to Government Code section54952(b). This will allow members of the public to safely observe and participate in local government meetings during the continued pandemic.

The following are key provisions of the Executive Order with the substantive changes from the prior order identified in bold below:

Allows public agencies to hold public meetings via teleconference and to make the meeting accessible electronically or telephonically to all member of the public seeking to attend and address the Board.
The requirement that each teleconference location be publicly accessible is suspended.
The requirement to post agendas at all teleconference locations and notice each location where the member is calling in from is suspended.
The requirement that at least a quorum be present in the boundaries of the jurisdiction is suspended.
Notice must still be given 72 hours in advance for regular meeting and 24 hours in advance for special meetings.
Local Agencies may hold meetings via teleconferencing and allow the public to observe and address the meeting telephonically or otherwise electronically. (NOTE: the prior order required at least one physical location be open for the public to observe and address the meeting. A physical location for observing the meeting is no longer required.)
If meeting is held telephonically or otherwise electronically, agencies must implement a procedure for receiving and swiftly resolving requests for reasonable modification or accommodations from individuals with disabilities, consistent with the ADA. The procedure must be advertised each time notice of the meeting is given.
Agencies are encouraged to use sound discretion and to make reasonable efforts to adhere to the Brown Act as closely as possible.

Agendas and Materials

Agendas and Materials: Agendas and most supporting materials are available on the Commission’s website.

Due to legal, copyright, privacy or policy considerations, not all materials are posted online.

NOTE: Due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation, materials that are not posted will be available directly from the Commission at chr@sonoma-county.org

Disabled Accommodation

If you have a disability which requires an accommodation, an alternative format, or requires another person to assist you while attending this meeting, please contact the Deputy Clerk at (707) 565-1851, as soon as possible to ensure arrangements for accommodation.

Approval of the Consent Calendar

The Consent Calendar includes routine financial and administrative actions that are usually approved by a single majority vote. There will be no discussion on these items prior to voting on the motion unless Commission Members request specific items be discussed and/or removed from the Consent Calendar.

Public Comment

Any member of the audience desiring to address the Commission on a matter on the agenda:

Members of the public are invited to join this meeting via Zoom teleconferencing. In order that all interested parties have an opportunity to speak, please be brief and limit your comments to the subject under discussion. Each person is usually granted 3 minutes to speak; time limitations are at the discretion of the Chair.

While members of the public are welcome to address the Commission, under the Brown Act, Commission members may not deliberate or take action on items not on the agenda, and generally may only listen.

Commitment to Civil Engagement

All are encouraged to engage in respectful dialog that supports freedom of speech and values diversity of opinion. Commissioners, Staff, and the public are encouraged to:

Create an atmosphere of respect and civility where Commissioners, County Staff, and the Public are free to express their ideas within the time and content parameters established by the Brown Act and CHR’s standard Parliamentary procedures (Robert’s Rules of Order);
Establish and maintain a cordial and respectful atmosphere during discussions;
Foster meaningful dialogue free of attacks of a personal nature and/or attacks based on age, (dis)ability, class, education level, gender, gender identity, occupation, race and/or ethnicity, sexual orientation;
Listen with an open mind to all information, including dissenting points of view, regarding issues presented to the Commission;
Recognize it is sometimes difficult to speak at meetings, and out of respect for each person's perspective, allow speakers to have their say without comment or body gestures, including booing, whistling or clapping.