ORDINANCE
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago ("City") is a home rule municipality as described in Section 6(a) of Article VII ofthe 1970 Constitution ofthe State of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to its home rule power, the City of Chicago may exercise any power and perform any function relating to its government and affairs including the power to regulate the protection of the public health, safety, morals and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City has established its Commission on Human Relations to enforce the Chicago Human Rights Ordinance and the Chicago Fair Housing Ordinance. The Commission investigates complaints to determine whether discrimination may have occurred, and uses its enforcement powers to punish acts of discrimination. Under the City's Hate Crimes Law, the agency aids hate crime victims. The Commission also employs proactive programs of education, intervention, and constituency building to discourage bigotry and bring people from different groups together; and
WHEREAS, the City, through its 2012 Management Ordinance, consolidated the advisory councils and created the following four advisory councils: the Advisory Council on Equity; the Advisory Council on Women and LGBT issues; the Advisory Council on Veterans; and the Advisory Council on New Americans; and
WHEREAS, to aid in the fulfillment of that mission, these four advisory councils were tasked to act as a liaison between the city government and community organizations, in order to promote cooperation between the government and these organizations and among these organizations in order to enhance services to the population of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, there are over 3.7 million Arab Americans living in the United States today making up 3.1% of the nation's population; and
WHEREAS, the State of Illinois is home to a large and diverse Arab American community and boasts one of the largest populations of Arab Americans in the United States increasing by 41% during the decade of 2000 through 2010; and
WHEREAS, about 94% of Arab Americans live in metropolitan areas, including Chicago, which is home to one ofthe largest communities of Arab Americans among all major U.S. cities; and
WHEREAS, with the rate of anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, anti-Israel and anti-Hispanic hate crimes doubling in the City of Chicago over the past year; and
WHEREAS, due to recent policies created by our federal government banning residents of various middle eastern countries from visiting our great nation, which further encourages the division of our nation and hatred of immigrants whether they are citizens or not; and
WHEREAS, in order to protect and promote lasting relationships with the Arab American community, the City finds it appropriate to amend the Municipal Code of Chicago; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
SECTION 1. The above recitals are expressly incorporated herein and made part hereof as though fully set forth herein.
SECTION 2. Section 2-120-500 ofthe Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby amended by adding the underscored language as follows:
2-120-500 Advisory councils.
The following advisory councils of the commission on human relations are hereby established:
Advisory Council on Equity;
Advisory Council on Women and LGBT issues;
Advisory Council on Veterans; and
Advisory Council on new Americans. (el Advisory Council on Arab Americans
The mayor shall appoint 21 members to each advisory council, subject to approval of the city council. Ofthe initial appointments to each advisory council, one-third shall be appointed for a term of one year, one- third shall be appointed for terms of two years, and one- third shall be appointed for terms of three years. Succeeding appointments to these advisory councils shall be for terms of three years. The mayor shall designate a member of each advisory council to serve as its chairperson. The chairperson of each advisory council shall be a member ex officio ofthe commission on human relations. The mayor shall also appoint a director for each advisory council. Each director must be a member ofthe respective advisory council's affected community and shall receive such compensation as provided by the annual appropriation ordinance.
Each advisory council shall have the following powers and duties, relating specifically to the segment of the population of Chicago described in the council's name:
to assist the commission on human relations in designing educational and enforcement programs for the implementation of the policies embodied in Chapters 2-160 and 5-8 of the Municipal Code;
to act as a liaison between the city government and community organizations, in order to promote cooperation between the government and these organizations and among these organizations in order to enhance services to the population of Chicago;
to cooperate, through the commission on human relations, with the other advisory councils in the identification of practices and actions having a common discriminatory impact on the advisory council's target population and other segments of society, and in the design of programs for the elimination of such practices and actions;
to develop a procedure, primarily through solicitation of advice from members of the affected community, for recommending appointments of successor members to their respective advisory council to the mayor;
to devise rules of procedure for its meetings, subject to the approval of the commission on human relations; and
to assist the commission on human relations by recommending policies and programs, reviewing existing programs, conducting legislative research and reporting to the commission on its findings with regard to the specific needs of its community.
SECTION3. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage.