Speaker 0: Curran Gill is the executive's council liaison. I'd just like to particularly welcome, though it's unusual for me to do so. Mr. Gill to the call because he is spending part of his birthday with us. And with that, we'll move on to item seven on today's agenda. This is a proposed motion, 2021 391, which would express the Council's support for race and gender conscious affirmative action policies at the state and local level. Andrew Kim from council staff is here to provide the staff report. Mr. Kim, if you'd please, go ahead.
Speaker 2: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I hope I'm coming in. Okay. You are. Thank you, Mr. Chair. For the record and your campaign council central staff. Due to timing of this item, there is no staff report prepared. But the proposed motion language begins on page 323 of your packet. And I will actually go start with the the language starting on page 325. The proposed motion would declare that race and gender conscious affirmative action practices in the county are needed to combat discrimination that race and gender neutral measures have failed to eliminate. And in furtherance of the policy it would, the Council would urge Governor Jay Inslee to immediately sign an executive order rescinding governor's directive 98 or one. This governor's direct and then one was issued by Governor Gary Locke back in 1998 to provide directives on the implementation of 200, which was the 97 ballot measure that ended preferences based on protected classes for public employment, public education or public contracting. The proposal proposed motion would also support, including an item in the Council's 2022 2022 legislative agenda to advocate for any legislation necessary to timely and fully implement an executive order that would rescind the Governor's Directive. 94 one. The proposed motion would also support the recommendations included in the county's auditor report entitled Contracting Inequities Persisting Race Neutral Environment to Reduce Racial Disparities and Inequities in Awarding County Contracts. And as members are aware, this was presented to the Government Accountability and Oversight Committee back in in June. The proposed motion would also support county executive order entitled Pro Equity Contracting, which directs the implementation of most of the recommendations included in the County Auditor's report and as brief by some of them from some of the members at the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee yesterday. There are some budget items in the second omnibus that supports this executive order. The proposed motion would also support exploring the benefits of reestablishing a minority and women business enterprises office or program in the county to ensure consistency in contracting processes and criteria across county agencies and departments, and to also eliminate ambiguities regarding the county's commitment to eliminating racial disparities and inequities in awarding county contracts. And lastly, the proposed motion would support setting measurable countywide goals for spending with minority and women owned business enterprises to further the progress of eliminating racial disparities and inequities in awarding county contracts. Mr.. Cheryl, note that there is a title amendment for this item that was emailed to all members in the title land that would comport with the body of the motion. We also had Brooke Leary with the auditor's office and as you mentioned, Mr. Curran, deal with the Executive Office to answer any questions. And that concludes David Martin Fisher.
Speaker 0: Thank you, Mr. Kim. And I want to acknowledge and appreciate the cooperation, support and work of an executive, Constantine and his team in bringing us having the county is poised, as we are, to take this action and be as supportive a value of the partnership we have with the executive in doing this work and being where we are. Colleagues questions of Mr. Kim, Mr. Gil as Larry.
Speaker 2: Mr. Chair.
Speaker 0: Council members. Hello?
Speaker 2: Yes, thank you. I'd like to speak to this motion, please, before, Mr. Chair, I want to thank you very much for adding this incredibly important topic to your agenda. I want to thank Andrew Kim for all his excellent work, our King County Executive Branch, as well as the Washington Equity Now Alliance. For all of their advocacy we all know that I 200 and it's related executive order 9801 have had devastating impacts on women and communities of color in the two decades since they took effect. These laws have funneled billions, billions with a B of dollars out of these groups and also slashed many of their economic and educational opportunities . Some have estimated that prior to 200 state agencies and higher education institutions spent 10% of their contracting and procurement dollars with certified minority and women owned businesses. Since the passage of I 200, however, that rate has plummeted to an average of 3% from 10% to 3%. And this steep decline in economic opportunity at the state level is also felt locally. I think my colleagues remember the report that was released by our King County Auditor's office in June of this year titled Contracting Inequities Persist in Race Neutral Environment. It showed us that our own level of government has felt and dealt the painful consequences of a 290 801. So that's why this motion is before you today. It not only asks the state and our governor to rescind 9801, it also holds up a mirror to our own government and documents our own commitment to advancing contract equity at King County. So I think Andrew did a great job already of documenting what actions it requests that our King County government takes things like supporting the recommendations in the auditor's report, supporting the executive order from executive Constance, entitled Pro Equity Contracting also supports exploring and reestablishing a minority and women owned business enterprise office at King County and supporting and setting measurable countywide goals for spending with will be contractors. So colleagues I 200 and it's related executive order took away many of our tools for bringing about economic justice in our society. Our our region's economy has been booming in the two decades after these laws took effect. But not everyone has felt the surge in prosperity. Let's commit to our stated principles, pass this motion, and continue our work to make sure everyone in King County can thrive. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Speaker 0: Thank you. Councilmember. Questions on the presentation. Councilmembers followed. Entertain a motion.
Speaker 2: So move, Mr. Chair.
Speaker 0: We have a motion before us to give it to pass. Recommendation to motion 2021 391. Further discussion.
Speaker 1: Mr. Chandler.
Speaker 0: Councilmember Belushi, followed by Councilmember Caldwell's.
Speaker 1: I want to also thank you for finding time on an agenda to move this forward and to have this committee discussion just as a matter of process. It's always, I think, better for us to have the opportunity to consider something and ask questions, even if we don't have all the answers right here, right now. And so I do appreciate your making time for this. The more substantively, I will repeat everything that Councilmember Zaha said, but we know at King County and in other parts of government that when we make an effort, targeted, non neutral effort to improve racial outcomes, we can move the needle. We can we can reduce disparities, we can bring up communities of color and businesses and people give them good jobs and opportunities that help to close that achievement gap that we see in every aspect of the lives in our communities. And so I think this kind of a step is really important and can make a really real world difference for people. It can help them get good jobs and economic opportunities that make our whole community better and and fairer. So I really appreciate this step. I look forward to learning more about it, quite frankly, because it's it's it's pretty it's moving pretty quickly. But I think that the sentiments stated in this motion are things that are absolutely aligned with our values and our stated goals here at King County Council. And I'm happy to be a supporter. Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you, Councilmember Coles.
Speaker 1: Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I first of all, I want to extend my appreciation of Councilmember San Joaquin for introducing this legislation. And I so say hello to my former colleague in the state legislature, former Representative Jesse White. And as Jesse knows, there was a lot of effort in the legislature to not have to go to the ballot. As I recall, it was an initiative to the legislature. And then when it did go to the ballot, we some of us were very active in trying to defeat it. And I bring this up because I think the history of this is important. And I ended.
Speaker 3: Up.
Speaker 1: Debating Ward Connerly, who was the proponent of Initiative 202, was the University of California regent at the time, and this is at Tulane University. There were 100 people in attendance. There were several of us on the panel. And it was one of the more noteworthy events in which I participated in my career. And frankly, I was absolutely appalled and I was very, very disturbed by the language of the ballot measure, which I thought was very deceptive and I think swayed the voters. But that's just a little bit of an aside here. And I, I had one I had been very intrigued about this legislation, and I was thinking about introducing Edmund Burke with our legal counsel, general counsel, Monique Cohen about it, because I wasn't sure whether it was something that we could really take up. And so I was very pleased when it was introduced and signed down, by the way, we worked in the legislature to try to ameliorate when we should have 200. We got some things through, but they did not make a sufficient difference. And I have long thought about, I think, the tragedy of it and should have.
Speaker 3: 200.
Speaker 1: For the state and for people in it. But I am very pleased to join in, in supporting this request to the governor to rescind the Governor's directive 90 zero one. I think it can be very helpful. We are the largest county in the state and I'm.
Speaker 3: Hopeful that.
Speaker 1: Our support of this would.
Speaker 3: Be.
Speaker 1: Influential to the Governor's decision on what to do. And I also believe that with regard to what can happen at the county here, this would.
Speaker 3: Be.
Speaker 1: Very helpful. So I'm very.
Speaker 3: Pleased to support this. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Speaker 0: Thank you, Mr. Kim. I see you turned your camera on. You did that so you can remind us that we have a panel amendment we need to adopt before we get to final passage. I'll pretend I remembered before I saw your camera. Come on and ask colleagues if there is any more speak cut remarks before we take up the title amendment. Senior nine council members are. Hello. If you would remove adoption of Title Amendment two one, which Mr. Tracy emailed to us at 804 this morning.
Speaker 2: So moved, Mr. Chair.
Speaker 0: The title Amendment two one is before a say no discussion. All those in favor of one please signify by saying i.
Speaker 2: I.
Speaker 0: Others opposed nay. The ayes have it. The title amendment is adopted. Thank you for your time. The reminder, Mr. Kemp. Further discussion. See no further discussion to close, if you wish. Council members. Hello.
Speaker 2: I urge your support.
Speaker 0: Without Madam Clerk. Would you please call the roll?
Speaker 1: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Councilmember building team. I. Councilmember Sandusky.
Speaker 3: I.
Speaker 1: Councilmember John.
Speaker 2: I.
Speaker 1: Councilmember calls Councilmember Lambert. I'm sorry. I as a member of the council.
Speaker 3: I.
Speaker 1: Councilmember one right there. Council members online.
Speaker 3: By Mr. Chair.
Speaker 0: Hi.
Speaker 1: Mr. Chair. The vote is eight zero announced council member. Voting rights are excused.
Speaker 0: Thank you. By you. We have given a do pass recommendation through motion 2021 391 and with the committee's permission, we will expedite that to full council this coming Tuesday. Is there interest in speaking to it or might we put it on consent? I'll put it on. I'll suggest we put it on consent and we'll always have the possibility of removing it from consent. All right. That concludes the action items in today's agenda. Before we adjourn, however, we missed a couple of votes due to technical issues. Madam Quirk, can you can we check with council members done in BAN right there for methods that are available?
Speaker 1: Absolutely. Mr. Chair. Council member. Done. I am missing a vote on 2020 10335.
Speaker 0: I think we've lost him again.
Speaker 1: And Councilmember Bond right now. I am missing votes on 2020 1033502880391.
Speaker 0: All right. We don't seem to have a good connection with either. Did you say done?
Speaker 2: That's correct.
Speaker 1: Let's remember.
Speaker 3: Dun dun.
Speaker 2: Dun ci.
Speaker 1: Four 2020 10335.
Speaker 2: Yes.
Speaker 1: Thank you.
Speaker 0: Thank you. And per a Rules Council member of UN right there will be able to vote by email through the rest of the day. With that having no other business to come before us, we are adjourned. Thank you so much.
A MOTION declaring that race- and gender-conscious affirmative action practices in the county are urgently needed to combat discrimination that race- and gender-neutral measures have failed to eliminate in King County.