PRESS RELEASE                                       Tuesday December 4, 2018

Contact: Chiara Perry

Phone: 205-254-2036

Cell: 205-383-8432

chiara.perry@birminghamal.gov

BIRMINGHAM, AL – Last year, the Birmingham City Council unanimously passed a pair of nondiscrimination ordinances, becoming the first city in Alabama to add legal protections for those who face discrimination based on a person’s real or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or familial status.

One of the two items created an eleven-member commission whose sole purpose will be to investigate complaints of discriminatory practices and report their noncompliance with a goal being to “conciliate complaints with the consent of all parties,” as is written in the ordinance. If no agreement is reached the person who filed a complaint then must take the issue to the municipal court.

On Tuesday, the Council voted to restructure the commission and the terms of those who will serve on the body. Those appointments are expected to be made in the coming weeks.

Perhaps most importantly, the amendments changed the number of members from 11 to 15, with the Council still having 9 appointments (one per district).

Because municipalities are limited by state as to what kind of crimes can be prosecuted in court, the ordinance was passed in compliance with those restrictions.

This press release was written by Cody Owens, Public Information Officer, in the Birmingham City Council Office of Public Information.For media inquiries please contact the Interim Director of Public Information, Chiara Perry at 205.254.2294.