After a two-week hiatus, Austin City Council will reconvene March 24 to consider and vote on several issues including city-wide hiring policies, public comment and city discrimination policies.
Fair Chance Hiring
District 4 Council Member Gregorio Casar held a press conference March 22 morning to showcase support of his fair chance hiring resolution, which would prohibit most Austin employers from inquiring about a job applicant’s criminal history prior to extending an offer.
Council will vote on this measure, often referred to as “ban the box,” March 24 at its regular meeting.
“The broad support for this policy shows that Austin is ready to be the first fair-chance-hiring city in the South," Casar said in a statement. "An affirmative vote from our council this March 24 would be a significant step forward for civil rights and racial justice in our community."
District 7 Council Member Leslie Pool said March 22 she has received many emails from constituents in support of the fair chance ordinance.
"The community wants us to move in this direction," she said.
Public Comment
City Council
passed some changes to the way its council committees function March 3 but decided to consider committee and council public comment structure as a separate issue.
On March 24, council will consider changes to the way it hears testimony from members of the public. Several council members said they supported postponing the item. Council members differ in their views on whether the bulk of public comment should be heard in council committee meetings or regular council meetings.
Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo said adjusting the way the council handles testimony and setting a firm time limit on comment time promotes efficiency.
“We just can’t operate with multiple meetings that become malleable in terms of their time frame; at least I can’t operate that way,” Tovo said.
Other items
Council will also consider agenda items related to:
- Strengthening protections for city employees against workplace discrimination and harassment
- Reviewing the reporting schedule and expiration date of the Flood Mitigation Task Force
- Evaluating wages paid on city projects
