Measure Information - King County

November 4, 2008 General Election

County

Simple majority (Wash. Const. art. XI, sec. 4 and King County Charter Section 800).

King County Charter Amendment No. 2
Prohibiting Discrimination

Shall Section 840 of the King County Charter be amended to add disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression to the prohibited grounds for discrimination in county employment and county contracting, and to limit the prohibition against discrimination in county contracting to contracts with nongovernmental entities, as provided in Ordinance No. 16204?

YES
NO

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Currently, King County Charter Section 840 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religious affiliation, or age (except by minimum age or retirement) in county employment and county contracting. If this proposed charter amendment is approved, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression would be added to the prohibited grounds for discrimination in county employment and county contracting and the prohibition against discrimination in county contracting would be limited to contracts with nongovernmental entities.

Statement For

This proposed Charter Amendment adds persons with disabilities and those with non-traditional sexual orientation or gender identity and expression to the groups already protected from discrimination in employment or compensation within King County government. The proposal also prohibits the county from contracting with non-governmental persons or agencies that do discriminate on the basis of disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

The King County Charter Review Commission recommended this amendment with a vote of 18 yes, 0 no, and 3 absent. The King County Council voted 8 to 1 to place this amendment on the 2008 general election ballot.

Passage of this Charter Amendment is urged, to clearly and explicitly protect persons with disabilities and non-traditional sexual orientation from arbitrary and unfair discrimination. Passage will help round out a multi-decade effort to create a level playing field for all Americans.

STATEMENT PREPARED BY: Doreen Cato, Dan Gandara, Allan Munro

Statement Against

No Statement Submitted.

Complete Text of Resolution

Ordinance 16204

Proposed No. 2008-0358.1 Sponsors Gossett, Constantine and Phillips

AN ORDINANCE proposing an amendment to Section 840 of the King County Charter, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression in county employment and in county contracting with nongovernmental entities; and submitting the same to the voters of the county for their ratification or rejection at the November 2008 general election.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:

SECTION 1. There shall be submitted to the voters of King County for their approval and ratification or rejection, at the next general election to be held in this county occurring more than forty-five days after the enactment of this ordinance, an amendment to Section 840 of the King County Charter as set forth herein:

Section 840. ((Anti-Discrimination)) Antidiscrimination.

There shall be no discrimination in employment or compensation of county officers or employees on account of sex, race, color, national origin, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or age except by minimum age and retirement provisions((;)), and the county shall not enter into any contract with any person, firm, organization, ((or)) corporation ((which)) or other nongovernmental entity that discriminates on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or age except by minimum age and retirement provisions.

SECTION 2. The clerk of the council shall certify the proposition to the manager of the elections division, in substantially the following form, with such additions, deletions or modifications as may be required by the prosecuting attorney:

Shall Section 840 of the King County Charter be amended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression in county employment and in county contracting with nongovernmental entities?

Ordinance 16204 was introduced on 6/30/2008 and passed by the Metropolitan King County Council on 7/14/2008, by the following vote:

Yes: 8 – Ms. Patterson, Mr. Dunn, Mr. Constantine, Mr. von Reichbauer, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Gossett, Mr. Phillips and Ms. Hague

No: 0

Excused: 1 – Ms. Lambert

KING COUNTY COUNCIL

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON

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