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REPORT OF THE <br />COMMISSION CHAIR <br />PREPARED ON <br />APRIL 'I '1 , <br />2012 <br />Regarding Commission's <br />Special May 10th <br />Meeting & <br />Other Items <br />HUMAN RIGHTS <br />COMMISSION <br />MEETING <br />OF <br />APRIL 18, <br />2012 <br />Special Commission Meeting on Marriage Amendment: The Human Rights Commission <br />(HRC) will meet twice next month, a special May 10t" meeting devoted to hearing from <br />Roseville residents on whether the Commission should take a public position opposing <br />next fall's ballot question on the constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, <br />and our regular meeting on May 16tn <br />After having discussing format and procedures regarding this special meeting with the <br />Programming Planning Committee, I will propose at next week's meeting the general <br />format and procedures for conducting this special meeting. Our emphasis should be on <br />listening to the public on the issue of whether the Commission should take a public <br />position opposing this amendment. It should not be a dialogue, much less a debate, and <br />commissioners are encouraged only to ask questions of clarification. <br />It is apparent to me from previous public discussion on this issue that the Commission is <br />considering opposing this constitutional amendment. For the sake of transparency I <br />suggest we make this clear. This meeting will be televised. In order to inform public <br />comment on May 10t", I suggest we use as an example of a possible resolution the May <br />2011 League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions (LMHRC) resolution, a previous <br />recommendation of our Outreach Committee, as an example. (Another copy of this <br />LMHRC resolution is attached.) <br />Based upon the May 10th public testimony and other written and oral comments we may <br />receive by or at the following meeting, the Commission will make a final determination <br />on May 16th as to whether and if so what position to take on this controversial <br />amendment. I suggest we do that in the form of a resolution, which I will ask for <br />Commission volunteers to draft for the review and action of the full Commission at the <br />regularly scheduled May 16th meeting. <br />Please use our next meeting as an opportunity to ask any questions or express any <br />concerns regarding this proposed format and procedures for this 10t" special meeting. <br />Reminder: Per our usual practice please bring to our meeting your appointment books <br />and schedulers. We need to use the opportunity to schedule future committee or task <br />force meetings. <br />Respectfully submitted, <br />Gary Grefenberg, Chair <br />Human Rights Commission <br />Attachment <br />