The commission serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council and has the following powers, duties, and responsibilities:
A. To investigate and study the existence, character, causes, and extent of inequity and discrimination in public accommodations, employment, apprenticeship programs, on the job training programs, vocational schools, other educational institutions, and housing in the city and to attempt the elimination of such inequity and discrimination through education, conciliation, and recommended changes to policy and practice.
B. To hold hearings upon any complaint made against a person, an employer, an employment agency, a labor organization, or the employees or members thereof, to subpoena witnesses and compel their attendance at such hearings, to administer oaths and take the testimony of any person under oath and to compel such person, employer, employment agency, labor organization, or employees or members thereof, to produce for examination any books and papers relating to any matter involved in such complaint. The commission will issue subpoenas for witnesses in the same manner and for the same purpose on behalf of the respondent upon the respondent's request. Such hearings may be held by the commission, by any commissioner, or by any hearing examiner appointed by the commission. If a witness either fails or refuses to obey a subpoena issued by the commission, the commission may petition the district court having jurisdiction for issuance of a subpoena and the court must, in a proper case, issue the subpoena. Refusal to obey such subpoena is subject to punishment for contempt.
C. To develop recommendations for actions to strengthen policies, practices, services and programs that will, in the judgment of the commission, promote equitable and inclusive behavior that tends to eliminate inequity and discrimination.
D. To prepare and transmit to the Mayor and City Council from time to time, but not less often than once each year, reports describing its proceedings, hearings conducted, and the outcome thereof, decisions rendered, and the other work performed by the commission.
E. To make recommendations to the City Council concerning advancing equity, promoting inclusion, and addressing discrimination in order to improve quality of life, livability and equity for all residents.
F. To cooperate, within the limits of any appropriations made for its operation, with other agencies or organizations, both public and private, whose purposes are consistent with those of this chapter, in the planning and conducting of programs designed to advance equity or eliminate discrimination or cultural and intergroup tensions.
G. To adopt, publish, amend, and rescind regulations consistent with and necessary for the civil rights enforcement provisions of this chapter.
H. To receive, administer, dispense, and account for any restricted funds that may be voluntarily contributed to the commission and any grants that may be awarded the commission for furthering the purposes of this title. No disbursements will be made of any restricted funds without authority from the City Council. (Ord. 45-15, 7-20-2015; amd. Ord. 33-21, 10-4-2021)