Explanation: Capitals indicate matter added to existing law.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill
Introduced by: Councilmembers Scott and Sneed
A Bill Entitled
An Ordinance concerning
title
Equity Assessment Program
For the purpose of providing for the implementation of an Equity Assessment Program for Baltimore City, to be developed and overseen by the Department of Planning; requiring City agencies to assess existing and proposed policies and practices for disparate outcomes based on race, gender, or income and to proactively develop policies, practices, and investments to prevent and redress those disparate outcomes; defining certain terms; providing for the adoption of rules and regulations to carry out this Program; requiring certain notices and reports; and generally relating to the goal of eliminating structural and institutional racism and other forms of discrimination based on immutable characteristics.
body
By adding
Article 1 - Mayor, City Council, and Executive Agencies
Section(s) 39-1 to 39-12, to be under the new subtitle designation,
“Subtitle 39. Equity Assessment Program”
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
Section 1. Be it ordained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That the Laws of Baltimore City read as follows:
Baltimore City Code
Article 1. Mayor, City Council, and Executive Agencies
Subtitle 39. Equity Assessment Program
§ 39-1. Definitions.
(a) In general.
In this subtitle, the following terms have the meanings indicated.
(b) Agency.
“Agency” means any department, authority, office, board, commission, council, committee, or other unit of the City government.
(c) Director.
“Director” means the Director of the Baltimore City Department of Planning or that Director’s designee.
(d) Equity assessment.
“Equity assessment” means a systematic process of identifying policies and practices that may be implemented to identify and redress disparate outcomes on the basis of race, gender, or income.
(e) Gender.
“Gender” means actual or perceived sex and includes a person’s gender identity, self-image, appearance, behavior, or expression, whether or not that gender identity, self-image, appearance, behavior, or expression is different from that traditionally associated with the sex assigned to that person at birth.
§ 39-2. Rules and regulations.
(a) In general.
The Director, with the approval of the Planning Commission, may adopt rules and regulations to carry out this subtitle.
(b) Filing with Legislative Reference.
A copy of all rules and regulations must be filed with the Department of Legislative Reference before they take effect.
§§ 39-3 to 39-5. {Reserved}
§ 39-6. Program initiated.
The Director, with the approval of the Planning Commission, shall develop, adopt, and oversee an Equity Assessment Program that requires City agencies to:
(1) proactively develop policies, practices, and strategic investments to reverse disparity trends based on race, gender, or income;
(2) act to eliminate structural and institutional racism and discrimination of all kinds based on immutable characteristics to ensure that outcomes and opportunities for all people are no longer predicable based on those characteristics;
(3) develop and implement an equity action plan to incorporate and embed equity principles and strategies into City operations, programs, services, and policies; and
(4) conduct equity assessments of existing and proposed City actions and policies.
§ 39-7. Notice of Planning Commission meetings.
The Planning Commission shall give to each member of the City Council at least 5 days written notice of any Commission meeting at which the Commission proposes to consider approving:
(1) the adoption of or amendment to the Equity Assessment Program; or
(2) any rule or regulation adopted or amended under this subtitle.
§ 39-8. Agency implementation - In general.
The program shall require each City agency, in cooperation with the Director, to:
(1) identify an equity coordinator who will be responsible for managing that agency’s participation in the Equity Assessment Program;
(2) conduct equity assessments of the agency’s existing and proposed practices and policies; and
(3) develop and implement a plan to address any disparate outcomes based on race, gender, or income that have been identified by the agency’s assessments.
§ 39-9. Agency implantation - Bill reports.
Whenever an agency reports to the City Council on a proposed ordinance or resolution, the agency shall include in that report the results of an equity assessment of the proposal’s impact on its operations.
§ 39-10. Agency implementation - Capital budget scoring.
The Director shall conduct an equity assessment on any proposed capital budget and score the proposed projects based on that assessment.
§ 39-11. Annual Equity Report.
(a) In general.
On or before June 30 of each year, the Director shall prepare and submit to the Mayor and the City Council an annual Equity Report.
(b) Contents.
The Report shall include:
(1) an assessment of progress towards achievement of the goals of the Equity Assessment Program;
(2) an assessment of the current scope of agency compliance;
(3) a discussion of any disparate outcomes identified through equity assessments of existing City policies or procedures;
(4) recommended steps to address the identified disparate outcomes; and
(5) an update on progress towards eliminating previously identified disparities and implementing actions recommended in past reports.
Section 2. And be it further ordained, That the catchlines contained in this Ordinance are not law and may not be considered to have been enacted as a part of this or any prior Ordinance.
Section 3. And be it further ordained, That this Ordinance takes effect on the 30th day after the date it is enacted.