Seattle City Council 7/19/22

Do I start now, Madam Clerk?

We are now recording.

Go ahead and start.

Thank you.

OK.

All right.

Oh, thank you, Eric.

All right.

Good afternoon, everybody.

Today is Tuesday, July 19. The meeting of the Seattle City Council will come to order.

It is 2.01.

Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Council Member Lewis?

Present.

Council Member Morales?

Council Member Mosqueda?

Present.

Council Member Nielsen.

Present.

Council Member Peterson.

Present.

Council Member Sawant.

Present.

Council Member Stosz.

Present.

Council Member Herbold.

Here.

Council President Juarez.

Here.

Eight present.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Moving on in our agenda, there are no presentations on today's agenda.

Madam Chair.

Yes.

OSBT-Karen Hollweg, OSBT-Michael Leccese, COB.: : Oh, because we're all this.

OSBT-Karen Hollweg, OSBT-Michael Leccese, COB.: : Yes, i'm here sorry my computer was a little delayed.

OSBT-Karen Hollweg, OSBT-Michael Leccese, COB.:

: that's fine Thank you i'm glad you're here so everybody's here great.

OSBT-Karen Hollweg, OSBT-Michael Leccese, COB.: : we'll move into the public comment portion of our agenda at this time we'll open the hybrid public comment period.

OSBT-Karen Hollweg, OSBT-Michael Leccese, COB.: : For this hybrid public comment period the remote speakers will be heard first and then we'll be followed by the in person speakers that are in chambers today.

My understanding is that we have 35 remote speakers and we have four people in chambers.

Is that correct, Madam Clerk?

Yes, 35 remote and now five in chamber.

Thank you, Jodi.

At this time, I will hand it over to you, Jodi, to present the instructions for the public comment recording.

Speakers will now be called in the order registered.

And if you've not registered to speak, you can still sign up before the public comment period has concluded by registering for public comment online for remote public comment.

And for in-person public comment, please sign up on one of the signup sheets located in the chamber.

And I will ask Linda to run the video instruction recording.

the city of flowers and the city of goodwill, built on indigenous land, the traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples.

The Seattle City Council welcomes remote public comment and is eager to hear from residents of our city.

If you would like to be a speaker and provide a verbal public comment, you may register two hours prior to the meeting via the Seattle City Council website.

Here's some information about the public comment proceedings.

Speakers are called upon in the order in which they registered on the council's website.

Each speaker must call in from the phone number provided when they registered online and used the meeting ID and passcode that was emailed upon confirmation.

If you did not receive an email confirmation, please check your spam or junk mail folders.

A reminder, the speaker meeting ID is different from the general listen line meeting ID provided on the agenda.

Once a speaker's name is called, the speaker's microphone will be unmuted and an automatic prompt will say, the host would like you to unmute your microphone.

That is your cue that it's your turn to speak.

At that time, you must press star six.

You will then hear a prompt of, you are unmuted.

Be sure your phone is unmuted on your end so that you will be heard.

As a speaker, you should begin by stating your name and the item that you are addressing.

A chime will sound when 10 seconds are left in your allotted time as a gentle reminder to wrap up your public comments.

At the end of the allotted time, your microphone will be muted and the next speaker registered will be called.

Once speakers have completed providing public comment, Please disconnect from the public comment line and join us by following the meeting via Seattle Channel Broadcast or through the listening line option listed on the agenda.

The Council reserves the right to eliminate public comment if the system is being abused, or if the process impedes the Council's ability to conduct its business on behalf of residents of the City.

Any offensive language that is disruptive to these proceedings or that is not focused on an appropriate topic as specified in Council rules may lead to the speaker being muted by the presiding officer.

Our hope is to provide an opportunity for productive discussions that will assist our orderly consideration of issues before the Council.

The public comment period is now open and we will begin with the first speaker on the list.

Please remember to press star six after you hear the prompt of you have been unmuted.

Thank you Seattle.

Our first public comment for the remote public comment period is Howard Gale.

Madam Clerk before Mr. Gale starts can we remind everybody it's one minute and you will hear a chime when you have 10 seconds to wrap up your comments.

Thank you, Madam Clerk, one minute.

Thank you.

Our first speaker is Howard Gale.

Good afternoon, Howard Gale with seattlestop.org commenting on our lack of police accountability.

Today, you will be voting on Council Bill 120337 to create a process for investigating complaints against the chief of police.

That process will require investigators to not be police, despite the fact that nine of 11 OPA investigators are SPD sergeants.

So the council is recognizing the problems with police investigating police, but instead of putting an end to this corrupt system, you are legislating a tiny workaround for a specific type of complaint.

This is a system entirely rejected by the state legislature in 2021, when they set up the office of independent investigations to investigate the police use of deadly force.

But for Seattle, it is okay to have cops investigate cops, finding that each and every police killing is, quote, lawful and proper, unquote.

Instead of a tiny useless carve out like you were voting on today, we need a complete overhaul of our failed police accountability system.

We need direct community control of police complaint investigations, discipline, and most importantly, as we learned in the case of.

Our next speaker, excuse me.

Lost it on my computer.

Our next speaker is Brian Clark.

Brian?

If Brian's not available, we'll move on to Jessica Scalzo.

Jessica?

Oh, I double unmuted.

Brian?

Go ahead, Brian, if you're logged in.

Sorry, I double muted there.

Hello, Council, my name is Brian Clark, and I'm a member of Socialist Alternatives calling today in support of Council Member Solong's proposal to make Seattle an abortion-free sanctuary city.

It will prevent Seattle police from processing arrest warrants related to anti-abortion laws around the country for both patients and their care providers, and makes abortion free and available for anyone who seeks it here.

This legislation is overwhelmingly supported by your constituents with over 5,000 signatures already.

Democrats have had over 50 years to codify Roe and have fundraised with it quite heavily, but in the many weeks since the ruling's leak, Democrats on the national and local stage have failed to seriously legislate, organize, or take executive action in a way that meets the scale and scope of the attack on our people.

While the mayor and governor's executive orders are in line with this legislation, we all know how easily these orders are ignored or undone, so legislation is needed.

The council members who have spoken in support of abortion and healthcare have an obligation to vote yet, otherwise those are just hollow words.

Your constituents are demanding legislation, so let's see it.

Thank you.

Our next speaker now is Jessica Scalzo.

Hi, my name is Jessica and I am a renter in District 3 and I'm calling in support of Council Member Sawant's legislation to make Seattle an abortion sanctuary city.

And I think this is important because as many people have already said, the executive orders will not go far enough.

It needs to be codified into law and it needs to be safe for people to feel like they can get the care they need without feeling like they have to be in some emergency state or risk their lives.

That's all I have to say right now.

Please support this legislation.

It's very important.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Ava Metz.

Ava?

Thank you so much.

I just made it.

Hi my name is Eva Metz.

I'm a home health care aide and a member of SEIU 775 and speaking today to urge all the Democrats on city council to vote yes on council member Swantz's legislation to make Seattle an abortion rights sanctuary city.

The Supreme Court's really dangerous decision to overturn overturn Roe v. Wade is already having horrifying impacts.

I think many people have seen the story of a 10-year-old girl in Ohio who was raped but then was forced to flee the state to receive a safe abortion.

And it's stories like this that really underscore why it's so important for Seattle to actually stand in solidarity with people in other states seeking or providing this basic health care right.

Even though thousands of people have protested against this attack over 5,000 people have signed a petition in support of council member Sawant's petition or legislation.

To my knowledge no other council member has come out yet to publicly support this legislation.

Like others have said already executive actions don't carry the weight of law, they can be undone on a whim, just as Roe was.

And these executive orders are not an excuse for City Council Democrats to not support Councilmember Swansville.

Our next speaker is Jordan Van Vost.

Jordan.

Good afternoon.

My name is Jordan Van Vos.

I speak in favor of Council Member Sawant's resolution making Seattle an abortion rights sanctuary.

Recent overturning of longstanding constitutional precedent guaranteeing the right to abortion is nothing less than a gross miscarriage of justice in a broken federal judicial system now controlled by senators from tiny states and past presidents who lost the popular vote.

This terrible decision will disproportionately impact women of color poor women and concedes ground to the evils of racism and sexism.

As a health care professional who often sees women during pregnancy it is self-evident to me that the medical decisions a woman makes about her own body and the social psychological and economic implications of giving birth are hers and hers alone to make.

Seattle needs to make a stand and protect women who are seeking refuge from states that deny this right.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Kristen Monahan.

Kristen.

Hi, I'm Kristen Monahan and I'm commenting against the abortion sanctuary city legislation.

Abortion is patriarchal oppression, late-stage capitalism, white supremacy, classist eugenics, ableist genocide, and ageist totalitarianism.

In no way, shape, or form is it left-wing or feminist, and it isn't even fit for a civilized society.

It is the mass killing of young human beings and the exploitation of their mothers.

People don't go skipping down to the clinic happy to do it.

They do it when they are manipulated into believing that their children are just clumps of cells or that they have no other choice but to abort because they are told they can't be mothers if they are single, poor, teenagers, going to school, have careers, or want lives worth living.

Abortion is not a solution to our problems.

It's just a fake Band-Aid that acts like it does something to help us when in reality, all it does is kill our children and leave us in the exact same situations we were previously in, but this time with loads of grief and PTSD.

We deserve a city, a Seattle that is a sanctuary city for the pre-born.

Don't turn Seattle into a child genocide camp.

Let the pre-born live.

We need to do better for women for pregnant people and for children.

We cannot have a society.

Our next speaker is Barbara Finney.

Barbara.

I'm Barbara Finney delegate to the MLK Labor Council.

for American Federation of Government Employees, Local 3197, the Healthcare Workers Union, both our local union and the County Labor Federation have endorsed resolutions to protect abortion rights.

This is a labor issue.

So I urge all the Democrat City Council members to support Council Member Shama Sawant's legislation to make Seattle an abortion sanctuary city.

Alongside progressive labor unions, socialist women, LGBTQ rights activists, the Socialist Council Office of Shama has now introduced abortion sanctuary city legislation.

We can't rely on executive orders of the governor or mayor to protect our rights.

We need codification at the local level, just like we desperately needed at the federal level.

Roche's criminalization of women and pregnant people, their doctors and care providers, and of anyone who age or abets an abortion means thousands will be forced to flee their home states to escape prosecution and jail time.

Support Sam Sawant's abortion sanctuary legislation.

Our next speaker is Matthew Gleboff.

Matthew Gleboff.

Great.

I'm a professor at the University of Washington, and I'm speaking in support of council members who want sanctuary city legislation.

My students are vocally upset to see their rights rolled back from what their parents enjoyed at their age.

They can see the right-wing onslaught will not stop with abortion rights, and they're rightly worried about prosecution of trans people and loss of LGBTQ freedoms coming next.

They're being let down by Democrats who have had opportunities to codify these rights in recent history and over the last few weeks have failed to lead a fighting response.

We need an independent fight back, starting with making Seattle a sanctuary city for people around the country facing prosecution for anti-abortion laws, especially young people and working class people for whom crossing state lines is itself a huge burden.

This legislation will use the same approach used by Seattle voters in a 2003 initiative to reduce the number of marijuana-related prosecutions, so we know this could work.

I urge you to support this legislation and to move swiftly on to funding free abortions in the budget.

Thanks.

Next speaker is Preston Sahabu.

Preston Sahabu.

Yes, hi.

My name is Preston, and I am a rank and file member of the Alphabet Workers Union, which is a brand new member of the Martin Luther King County Labor Council.

And as an organizer in our labor movement, I'm very proud to say that reproductive rights our workers' rights.

And this council has in the past voted on a resolution to support unionizing Starbucks workers who are disproportionately women, are disproportionately queer, are going to be disproportionately affected by these attacks on abortion rights.

And the same thing is true of workers at Google who do not receive benefits, who do not receive the ability, coverage of their abortions.

And we'll definitely be facing huge financial costs to do so, and the very least that we can do, instead of depending on corporations who will say the right things and then threaten our rights behind our backs, or try to knock us to the back, is to fight and allow our cities to be sanctuaries for abortion.

So I urge you to support Council Member Sawant's resolution to make Seattle a sanctuary city for abortion.

Our next speaker is Robert Jeffrey, Robert Jeffrey.

Hello, my name is Reverend Robert L. Jeffrey Sr.

And I'm calling in support of the abortion sanctuary legislation that would make Seattle an abortion rights sanctuary city.

Finally, there must be pushback against those who would use religion to control women exalt guns, continue the historical oppression of minorities by circumventing education, while at the same time preaching xenophobia.

I believe that this pushback on this creeping theocracy of America must be loud and clear.

In addition, I agree with the caller who expressed the need for complete community control over police oversight.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Nyree Krikorkian.

Nyree Krikorkian.

Hi, my name is Nyree.

I'm an active member of SEIU Local 775. I'm calling today to strongly support council member Shama Sawant's legislation to make Seattle a sanctuary city for choice.

We need to assure women, especially poor women from the states that have banned abortion, can find the safe medical services they need without the fear of being arrested or having to worry about the financial burden.

My heart goes out to these women because I was one of them.

In 1999 although I lived in Washington State I had to travel 90 minutes each way for three days to Seattle in order to have this procedure done safely.

The only available doctor at a local clinic refused to provide me this service due to his personal religious beliefs.

I urge the Democrats on the City Council to pass Council Member Sawant's very popular proposed legislature as it is written without any amendments.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Olivia Stasaitis.

Olivia Stasaitis.

And Olivia, if you press star six.

Okay, we may come back to Olivia.

The next speaker would be Taylor Warner.

Taylor Warner.

Hi, my name is Taylor Warner and I'm a member of the IBEW 46. And I also have been a single mom since I was 19 years old.

personal experiential knowledge of how significantly the decision to have a child or not have a child can impact somebody throughout the course of their life.

And I don't need to say how critical it is that that decision be in the hand of the person who is affected but I would say that I've talked to a lot of people in Seattle about council members so on sanctuary city abortion sanctuary city legislation.

It's overwhelmingly popular and I think it's critical to wage a fight that is at the level of the circumstances.

City council members will be remembered as being on the wrong side of history if you fail to act.

Our next speaker is Jacob Shear.

Jacob?

And if Jacob's not available, we're gonna move on to.

Good afternoon, my name is Jacob Shear.

Oh, thank you.

Hi, sorry, I'm here.

Good afternoon, hi, sorry about that.

My name is Jacob Shear and I'm speaking on behalf of Real Change, Seattle Street newspaper and nonprofit.

Real Change fully supports Council Member Sawant's legislation to make Seattle an abortion sanctuary city and to fund abortion and abortion care for all who need it.

The repeal of Roe v. Wade is already having a ripple effect that was forcing working and poor people who the repeal of this law is targeted at directly to cross state lines to receive the health care they urgently need.

Idaho, our neighboring state to the east, has a trigger law abortion ban that will shortly go into effect, and the Republican Party there has made it clear that there will be no exception but taking into account the life of the mother.

To meet the scale and urgency of this need, we need to rapidly expand access and ensure that abortion is safe, legal, and accessible for all who need it in Seattle on demand.

We need codified legislation here in Seattle that goes beyond words and gestures and enshrines the right to abortion for all who want and need it and protects those who both seek and provide abortion care.

Pass council member Solon's legislation and make Seattle an abortion sanctuary city.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Theo Nestor.

Theo.

Hi.

I'm Theo Nestor and I live in District 3. and I raised both my children here in Seattle.

I'm here today to support the bill to make Seattle an abortion sanctuary city.

First, thank you to Mayor Harreld for taking a stand on June 24th for the right to abortion and promising to allocate funds to support abortion services.

This is a great step in the right direction, but legislation needs to be now passed to ensure that the city can fulfill that promise.

In 2003, responding to anti-immigrant sentiments nationwide after 9-11, Seattle City Council unanimously approved a bill that led to Seattle becoming a sanctuary city, a safer haven for undocumented people.

It's time for Seattle City to take such a stand again and vote to approve Councilmember Solange's bill

Our next speaker is Addy Stein.

Hello.

Hello, my name is Addy Stein.

I am a steward of UAW 4121 at the University of Washington.

I'm commenting today to urge you to vote yes on council members to want abortion sanctuary legislation.

Reproductive justice is and should be an issue for everyone, not only in solidarity, but because everybody is impacted when bodily autonomy is restricted.

While Washington already has some protections in place for its state citizens as torn right to abortion, this isn't true across the country as we have been seeing.

And so if we truly do believe in this right to health care and bodily autonomy, then we should urgently move to make Seattle a sanctuary city.

So then we are not criminalizing those that seek their basic health care.

As a trans person, I am no stranger to medical restrictions on bodily autonomy, and every person should have the right to decide what they want for their own body, regardless of others' political beliefs.

Thank you for hearing my comment today, and I urge you to vote yes on council members' wants on my abortion sanctuary legislation.

Our next speaker is Justin Martin.

Justin?

Hello.

My name is Justin Martin.

I am A member of the working class and a voter in the University District.

I am calling on City Council to urge them to vote yes on Council Member Sawant's legislation to ensure that Seattle is an abortion sanctuary city.

It is the correct thing to do for the sake of everyone born with a uterus and to ensure bodily autonomy for everyone.

Thank you very much.

Our next speaker is Kaitlin Christensen.

Kaitlin.

Hello, I'm Kaitlin Christensen.

I'm not affiliated with any organization, but I am one of 40 million working class people.

I'm a single mother, and I urge everyone to support and vote yes on Socialist Council members, Kishawna Sawant's legislation to make Seattle an abortion sanctuary city.

I come from the state of Utah.

I moved to Seattle to get away from narrow-minded controlling conservatives that run that and so many other states.

Seattle is my sanctuary city for many reasons.

I have a daughter who is potentially going to grow up without the same health care available to her that we've had for 50 years.

This is unacceptable.

Reproductive rights are important for all young people.

We need to protect them.

And this is the first way that we can do that since the shock of Roe v. Wade being overturned.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Zachary Kirshbaum.

Zachary Kirshbaum.

Hello my name is Zachary Kirshbaum District 6 member of 350 Seattle.

I'm calling in support of Shama Sawant's legislation which I believe is a more honest and active commitment to abortion sanctuary status.

I think it's more solid and prevents arrests of those with abortion-related warrants and taxes Amazon to fund abortion for those seeking sanctuary.

It would also write our status into law as a sanctuary city, making our currently more vague promise into a solid commitment.

I think we either make Seattle a real abortion sanctuary or we don't.

It would be hollow to say that our doors are open to women who need us and then leave them without substantial help when they get here.

We need stronger legislation to make sure that these protections are absolute and don't fade with time.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Anita Schumacher.

Anita.

Hello.

Hello, my name is Anita and I'm a concerned citizen of West Seattle.

I'm here in support of the abortion sanctuary city legislation.

Since road was erroneously overturned, the legislation has surfaced far and wide, many of which threaten to reach beyond their jurisdiction for prosecution.

We as a community need to stand against this overarching reach by protecting those that seek abortion health care within our city, whether they live here or not.

The people of Seattle have spoken through petition and protest.

This means the weight of law behind it.

Cricketing us with words is not enough.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Daniel Blackburn.

Daniel.

My name is Daniel and I'm an engineer that works and lives in Seattle.

And I'm calling in support of Council Member Sharon's legislation to make Seattle a Abortion Sanctuary City.

It is shocking to me to see the country regress and backslide And what I and others around me want to see is our city and every level of government fight back and do something.

And I believe strong legislation is the strongest legal way to do this.

I would have protect abortion rights and those seeking abortions much more effectively than any executive order from the mayor could.

So I call upon the city council to step up and support strong legislation.

Our next speaker is Carl Dyer.

Carl.

Hi, my name is Carl Dyer, and I want to call on all Council Democrats to vote yes on Council Member Shama Sanwant's bill to make Seattle an abortion rights sanctuary city.

In the face of the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the broad failure of Democrats to utilize their power to build a mass movement to defend the rights of women and queer people, thousands have protested.

But so far, no Democrats have publicly supported Sanwant's sorely needed legislation.

It is under the pressure of these mass protests that the mayor and the governor have put forward executive actions along the lines of Council Member Sawant's bill, but the executive orders don't carry the weight of law, and it's critical to codify our commitment to abortion rights.

There is no excuse for the Council of Democrats not to support this bill.

Thanks.

Our next speaker is Madeline Dinks.

Madeline?

Hi, my name is Maddie.

I'm a renter in District 3. I'm calling to urge the Democrats and the City Council to support the legislation to make Seattle an abortion rights sanctuary city as it is written.

There are over 5,000 signatures and 800 comments from members of the public supporting this legislation because we understand that an executive action that can be undone on a whim or as soon as leadership changes is not enough.

We recognize that everyone, including people coming from out of state, escaping punitive and dangerous abortion laws, deserves safe and affordable health care.

You, the Democrats, Supporting this bill would show a concrete commitment to protecting reproductive rights instead of empty promises.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jennifer Rosewood.

Jennifer.

Jenny Rosewood, the Communications Chair for Alphabet Workers Union, Communication Workers of America Local 1400, and a delegate for the MLK Labor Council.

I am calling in support of making Seattle a sanctuary city for abortion rights.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade is already having a negative impact on people who can become pregnant in states where abortion rights and bodily autonomy have been stripped away.

We have seen how other states have started prosecuting people who help people leave a state to seek abortion health care.

We need to ensure that abortion rights is possible for everyone, including those people who come to Seattle seeking medical treatment.

Abortion rights need to be codified into law before the Supreme Court further erodes our rights.

Please make Seattle an abortion rights sanctuary city before more people die, because abortion rights are workers' rights.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Molly Southerden.

Molly?

I'm Molly Southerden, and I'm calling from Dayton, Ohio, regarding the need for sanctuary cities.

Over 10 years ago, and I know the exact day I became pregnant because my birth control failed, I had an abortion at 6.5 weeks.

I have never had a single regret about it.

I said as much three to four years ago when I testified in person against the heartbeat bill, which is now the legal six week ban in place in Ohio.

That 10 year old rape victim forced to travel to Indiana to receive timely and appropriate medical care, that's us.

The Brookings Institute indicates 45 to 60% of all pregnancies are unintended.

And because I was able to exercise my human right to choose I am now a licensed foster parent, and I can tell you that Ohio ranks 47th in the country in spending on children in foster care.

We need sanctuary cities for the people living behind this modern-day Iron Curtain whose human rights are being curtailed solely based upon their gender.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jo Koonsler.

Jo?

Hi.

Hi, this is Joe Kunstler.

I'm going to be very acute today.

One, I fully support, I cannot believe I'm saying this as a critic of Council Member Sawant, but I strongly support Council Member Sawant's brave abortion sanctuary legislation as a man.

Every woman and man has a right to medical care, period, full stop.

And frankly, we should impeach, try, convict the Supreme Court, Supreme Court Justice Alito, for starters.

But it isn't why I called.

We have a problem with Alex Zimmerman again, and I want to thank Council Member Strauss for issuing him his first warning.

I believe that Alex Zimmerman is a Nazi terrorist and needs to be banned from sound transit in the city government of Seattle for starters.

His misbehavior is a threat to the public safety, and quite frankly, I find this man terrifying.

And I ask that the policy of the city government of Seattle be to remove Alex Zimmerman from public comment periods, both at the city government and at.

Our next speaker is Chelsea DePasquale-Hunton.

Chelsea.

Hello, can you hear me?

Yes.

Hello good afternoon.

My name is Chelsea and I have been an educator in Seattle Public Schools for six years and an active member of the Seattle Education Association and the National Education Association.

I'm calling to add my voice to urge you to vote yes on Council Member Sawant's abortion rights sanctuary city legislation.

Millions around the country are angry and stunned at the dismantling of Roe versus Wade.

By passing this legislation this abortion Right Student Sanctuary Civilization you are letting Seattle and the country know that Seattle is a place that trusts individuals to make decisions about their own bodies and their own reproductive health.

It's not enough to say that abortion is legal here in Seattle.

It's not enough to say that abortion in Seattle is available for pregnant individuals who can afford to fly here.

We must do everything in our power to make Seattle a sanctuary for people around the country facing medieval anti-abortion laws.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Shariah Kelly.

Madam Clerk, before we move ahead, I want to make an announcement.

We will not entertain or condone anyone harassing the clerks using foul language.

If anyone is doing that, I'm going to ask security to have them removed because we're not doing that.

Our next speaker.

Go ahead.

I'm done.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Shariah Kelly.

Hi, my name is Shariah Kelly.

I'm calling to urge you to vote yes on the abortion rights legislation to make Seattle a sanctuary city.

Council members has brought the Abortion Rights Sanctuary City legislation forward on behalf of tens of thousands of Seattle's young people, workers, union members, and socialists.

It will prevent Seattle police from processing arrest warrants related to anti-abortion laws around the country for both patients and their doctors and other care providers.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Robin I'm sorry, were you finished?

Okay, thank you.

Our next speaker is Robin Erickson.

Robin?

Is the caller on, Madam Clerk?

I don't see a name.

Okay, then we are going to move into the in-person public commenters and our first public commenter chambers is Kara Yates.

Hi there, my name is Carrie Yates, and I wanted to address a different health and safety issue with you all today.

I've been a WSNA nurse at Seattle Children's for 12 years, and I deeply believe in providing hope, care, and cures to help every child live the healthiest and most fulfilling life possible.

Unfortunately, because of the nurse staffing crisis and a society that expects nurses to simply accept the recognition of being a healthcare hero in lieu of compensation that reflects our value to the community, we no longer are able to recruit and retain enough nurses to provide safe care.

Nurses are the gatekeeper, the person between you or your loved one and a medical mistake.

We're working 16-hour shifts.

While we aren't forced into this thanks to laws that have been passed, we still sometimes feel obligated to do so to make sure no one goes uncared for.

About 20% of Seattle Children's nursing positions are either unfilled or filled by travel nurses, temporary nurses who aren't invested in the organization, and more importantly, who aren't invested in our community.

Please join actions like petitions and pickets that nurses here in Seattle and around the state are undertaking.

Support nurses as we call for meaningful raises to encourage nurses to stay in or return to the profession.

Many of us became nurses because it's a calling.

Many of us have left because we are undervalued and we can't afford to live anywhere near the communities we are caring for.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Anika Hugerstad.

Hello, my name is Anika Hogestratt, and I am also a nurse here speaking on behalf of Seattle Children's Hospital.

I come to you as a concerned citizen of District 6, parent, and longtime cardiac ICU nurse employed by Seattle Children's.

I feel compelled to speak up for the patient safety concerns that our nurses are facing on a daily basis, and I ask the council for help and support in our cause.

Our nurses are increasingly met with shortcomings of supplies and adequately trained nurses to care for the children of our region.

Every day we are faced with challenges with not enough trained ICU nurses, and I worry that the care we are delivering is compromised.

And I know that our unit is not alone in feeling these struggles.

I worry for the children in this community as much as I worry for my own children.

I know that other areas of the hospitals that take, other area hospitals that take pediatric patients are taxed enough that they have had to shut down their pediatric units.

And these actions are weighing heavily on our nursing staff as a result.

We are stepping up to the challenge and creating and making things work, but it's concerning that these band-aid fixes will only hold for so long.

I implore you to join us in our petition efforts and our picketing that will be coming in August.

Our next speaker is Steve Ramstello.

I think we should see the plan before we give the minor status on the college's plan to build housing.

Now, there's only a parking lot involved.

You're not gonna be taking away existing housing as happens many, many times in Seattle.

But this is a big lever on how and what is done.

If you do not give the minor status before you find out what the plan is, the city will probably have a lot more leverage to get a good plan out of the college.

This is not very good policy to give away the store before you start the negotiating.

The other thing I fear is that the college doesn't really have to own what they're building because they can have a partner.

Now, most of you don't remember, but the Seattle almost lost the Pike Place market on one of these deals.

And I think that.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is David Haynes.

Thank you, David Ames, district seven.

It's offensive how disrespectful council president is forcing four people in chambers to wait for 34 people or so sitting at home while still Seattle channel catering council favors censoring chamber video denying rights to be seen and heard.

While most of the home calls are filling in the blanks, copying what someone told him to say about killing off innocent unborn baby with no offerings of positive alternatives.

or disciplining the greed within our immoral financial system for middlemen.

I live on Cherry Street on First Ave, three blocks away.

You'd never guess that it's the worst place in the middle of the night.

There's predators and it's like an evil enclave of behavioral crisis thieves bothering residents every night.

Yet the police chief is on record as saying he is making it up to the black and brown community for past profiling and abuse and bad jail conditions by purposely exempting and exonerating evil criminal drug pushers from jail, not even gonna properly police the neighborhood, allowing evil adults to roam and recruit youth, abused, used, and scorned into a lived experience.

Can we conjugate humanity while evil adults are listed both levels of crime?

Thank you, Mr. Haynes.

Our next speaker is Steve Gillespie.

Good afternoon.

Steve Gillespie, Foster Garvey, and I'm proud to represent the Seattle College District and ask for your support for Council Bill 120313. This is a good bill.

It hits on a lot of city policies, climate change, traffic, housing.

We're going to take hundreds of students out of the rental pool on the Seattle or on Capitol Hill.

and park them right on top of a multi-billion dollar transit investment that the public made in the area.

And to respond to the concerns about the potential for hazards, there's going to be a robust public process that would follow approval of this bill.

A minor amendment does not involve no process.

There will still be Citizens Advisory Committee meetings staffed by the Department of Neighborhoods, There will still be an interpretation decision by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, and that will be followed by a master use permit application and approval process.

So we thank you for your support thus far, and I urge you to vote yes on the bill.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is, our last speaker is Alex Zimmerman.

We hide my dirty, damn Nazi, fascist, mob, bandit, and psychopath, but they speak to us from the heaven.

My name Alex Zimmerman.

I want talking about number four, about service animal.

More dangerous service animal I see here and I don't understand where it comes from.

For example, more than 20 people, more than 20 people speak about something that is not agenda, about abortion.

I try to understand how is this possible?

Who is this dirty, crazy Nazi?

Rats, you know what it means, from heaven who don't stop them.

20 people don't speak about agenda.

You never show us faces.

You are real Nazi garbage rats, crazy rats.

Clean this chamber from this sick, crazy Nazi rats.

Council President, we've reached the end of our registered speakers.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Thank you, those of you that have called in and those of you that appear today in chambers.

Thank you for your comments today on today's agenda and other matters.

We've reached the end and public comment is now closed.

Moving on on our agenda, we'll go to the adoption of the introduction referral calendar.

I move if there's objection, I'm sorry, the introduction referral calendar will be adopted.

Not hearing or seeing any objection, it is adopted.

Moving on to the agenda.

If there's no objection, the agenda will be adopted.

Not hearing or seeing any objection, the agenda is indeed adopted.

Moving on to the consent calendar on our agenda.

The proposed consent calendar, are there any items any council member would like to remove from today's consent calendar?

Okay, not seen any.

Just as a reminder from the, as well as the agenda that was posted, the items on the consent calendar include the minutes from July 12th, the minutes of July 14th, our executive session special meeting, the minutes of July 14th, the special meeting, and the payroll bill, council bill 120370. My understanding is that we have five appointments on the consent calendar, one from the Seattle Indian Service Commission, We also have appointments to the Seattle Planning Commission, the Equitable Development Advisory Board, and the Community Investment Commission.

Did I get that right?

No.

Involvement Commission.

Involvement Commission.

I'm sorry, I didn't read my own.

Thank you, Council Member Morales.

I couldn't read my own handwriting.

Yes, the Community Involvement Commission, which was established, I think, three or four years ago.

So thank you for that, Council Member Morales.

OK, not seeing any objections or anyone wanting to remove any particular item, the consent calendar is adopted.

Moving on to committee reports, these are the matters that are on today's agenda.

There are eight matters on today's agenda.

Madam Clerk, will you please read item number one into the record?

the report of the Economic Development Technology and City Light Committee agenda item one, resolution 32056, a resolution related to the City Light Department adopting a 2023 through 2028 strategic plan update for the City Light Department and endorsing the associated six-year rate path.

The committee recommends the council bill be passed.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Council Member Nelson, the floor is yours.

Councilor Nelson?

One moment, please.

OK.

It's item number one.

So if you can hear me, first I'd like to give some background.

Resolution 32056 would adopt the City Lights 2023 to 2028 strategic plan and endorse the associated rate path.

But by background, I want to explain that The disruption of the pandemic in 2020 interrupted the expected update of City Light's strategic plan and rate path.

In recognition of the economics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the executive did not transmit and council did not take up rate setting legislation during 2020. In 2021, council approved rates for 2021 and 2022. And they were effective in April of 2021. So in differing from regular practice, City Light proposed and council adopted a five-year, not a six-year strategic plan.

for 2022 to 2026. So now, in 2022, City Light has proposed a 2023 to 2028 strategic plan, starting there by the normal two-year cycle of planning and rate path determination and rate change adoption.

And because only one year has passed since the adoption of the previous plan, City Light characterizes the 2023 to 2028 plan as an update rather than a wholly new plan.

So what we have before us has been approved by the City Light review panel and unanimously passed out of committee last Wednesday.

Thank you, Council Member Nelson.

Are there any comments or questions regarding this for Council Member Nelson?

Council Member Peterson.

Thank you, Council President, the resolution approved last year resolution 32007 scheduled electric electricity rates to increase by 3.8% in 2023 and by another 3.8% in 2024. I appreciate the thoughtful rationale for the utilities proposal.

Consistent with my

Thank you, Council Member Peterson.

Is there any other comments?

Do I see any?

Council Member Sawant.

Thank you, Council President Borges.

As I've done previous years, I will be voting yes on this legislation approving Seattle City Light's strategic plan.

It accurately analyzes what resources City Light will need to continue its important work.

However, as I've said in previous years also, I do not agree that working people who are now facing punishing inflation should be asked to pay any rate increases.

Instead, Seattle should be increasing the rates on big business.

For that reason, while I'm voting yes on the strategic plan, I intend to vote no on rate increase legislation as long as it continues to put the burden of those rate increases on working people.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Swann.

Are there any other comments or concerns?

All right.

May I have some closing comments?

I was just going to do that, Councilor Nelson.

So why don't you go ahead and have some closing comments before we go to a vote?

Well, I do want to acknowledge Councilmember Peterson's historic knowledge.

I really appreciate that you have that perspective coming into this year's vote.

It's true we're talking about a 0.7% increase from what was anticipated to be the 2023 rate increase to what is actually proposed in this plan.

And I just wanted to explain a little bit about what's behind that.

So City Light developed the average rate for 2023 by including inflationary costs from 2021 and 2022 that were not included in City Light's operations and maintenance budget for those years.

And in addition to that, the inflationary adjustment from 2020 to 2023 is a significant driver.

So, you know, right now the inflation is anticipated is the current projection is I believe let's see 7.8 and when that last plan was adopted the projection was 5.1.

So that is a significant driver.

And also, it's noted in the report, and I want to make clear that people watching this know that City Light makes plain that the annual increases of the proposed rate path fall short of anticipated inflation in cost going forward.

So they are absorbing some of the higher than usual inflationary costs.

And in the past two years, just for an example, some of those cost increases when it comes to city lights costs, steel, aluminum and copper increased 70 to 80 percent, conduit 33 percent.

So those are the sorts of things that they're grappling with.

And to Council Member Sawant's point, many people lost their jobs.

But City Light did not close accounts, and they are currently operating under $44.7 million in arrearages.

So I acknowledge that, I acknowledge Council Member Peterson's concern, but I ask for my colleagues' support of this plan.

I think that what's most important is really what's going on in the pocketbooks of Seattleites.

And actually, the City Light reports that actual rates in 2023 to 2024 will be slightly lower.

at 11.4 cents per kilowatt hour compared to the anticipated 11.49 cents per kilowatt hour.

it's lower than anticipated.

And this is because of the lower than anticipated Bonneville Power Administration pass-through cost.

So that cost that also factors into rates is lower.

So anyway, like I say, I ask for consideration of these issues as we go forward for a vote today.

I want to apologize.

I may have went too quickly to Council Member Nelson for closing remarks.

And then I saw Council Member Mosqueda and Council Member Strauss had some comments.

So Council Member Nelson, I'm going to allow Council Member Strauss and Council Member Mosqueda to respond.

And if you want to respond again, I will give you that opportunity.

Council Member Mosqueda.

Thank you, Council President.

I want to underscore some of the things that my colleagues have also said today, echoing what Council Member Sawant has said about a more progressive rate structure.

That's something that I also worked on in 2018 and 2019 after taking the helm at City Light.

I know Council Member Peterson has raised concerns about the impact on some of the smallest rate payers as well, and he and I had worked on the city of Sioux Falls.

We've been working with the Seattle city light utility discount program and really trying to push and move towards a more automatic enrollment for utility discount programs over the last 2 But I just wanted to bring up the long-standing desire to see a more progressive rate structure here and underscore some of the points about needing to see that in the future.

I also think that as we look to maybe codify some of the things that have have made it easier for some of our community members who've been hardest hit by COVID.

One of the things that we have done is, for example, waive the design review for affordable housing.

But what affordable housing folks have really said to us is they also want to see the utility hookups cost be waived.

So I will be voting yes for this strategic plan today.

But as we think about how we've strategically planned to address the hardship that has been we're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

We're not going to be able to do that.

Thank you, Council President.

Apologies, I didn't mean to take the last word after Council Member Nelson.

When she was speaking, it made me think of some questions.

Council Member Nelson, can you help me remember, we did not increase, the Seattle City Light did not increase their rates in 2020 and 2021. Is that correct?

That is correct.

And so I just, in the two hardest years that we've seen in many, in a long time, City Light did not increase rates at a time that they could have.

With that understanding, wouldn't it be true that these rates are less than, that we could have experienced much higher rate increases, and when we look at if these increases have been spread out over two years, it would be much less than what we're asked to vote on today, is that correct?

I think that is a logical observation.

And I have to say that that is partly why I gave that background and you're just cutting to the chase much better than I did.

Not a problem.

Thank you.

Just wanted to highlight that point.

Thank you, council president.

Okay.

Is there anyone else before I let council member Nelson say anything in closing in response to the last two comments we had, is there anything else from you council member Nelson?

Again, I appreciate my colleagues' engagement.

I want to make sure that the public is aware that we are not voting to increase rates right now.

That conversation will begin on August 10th in my committee and continue to the following meeting where we'll have a possible vote on September 14th.

So there is time for my colleagues to ask city-like questions or our central staff, Eric McConaghy, before that as well.

So right now we are approving a rate path based on some of these factors that I've just outlined.

And so bottom line is that if inflation is going up faster than we thought, that's driving cost increases.

Those aren't necessarily reflected in the rates that we're endorsing in this rate path.

We have not increased rates on our normal schedule.

And in fact, the decrease in the amount that we paid Bonneville Power Administration does help reduce those costs.

So thank you very much for those last words.

Thank you, Councilor Nielsen.

And Council Member Sawant and Councilor Peterson, thank you, as I know you were former chairs of Seattle City Light, in which I sat on those committees.

And we should note that this did pass out of committee four to zero with no opposition.

So with that, Madam Clerk, can we please call the roll?

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda?

Aye.

Council Member Nielsen?

Aye.

Council Member Peterson?

No.

Council Member Sawant?

Yes.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Herbold?

Yes.

Council President Juarez?

Yes.

All in favor, one opposed.

Thank you.

The resolution is adopted and the chair will sign it.

Madam Clerk, can you please affix my signature to the recently passed legislation on my behalf?

Moving on on the agenda to item number two.

Well, Madam Clerk, will you please read item two into the record and Council Member Strauss, the floor will be yours.

The report of the Land Use Committee, agenda item two, council bill 120313, an ordinance relating to land use and zoning defining the addition of a single development that includes residential uses at a community or technical college located within an urban center.

The committee recommends that council pass the bill as amended.

Council Member Strauss.

Thank you, Council President.

Clerk Schwinn said it great.

We also had Lincoln Ferris come and speak to us before for public comment.

This has been a process that has been ongoing for more than five years to allow for housing at one of Seattle's colleges.

allows for the minor amendment rather than a major amendment to a major institution master plan.

We did receive a technical amendment in committee as well as an amendment from Council Member Peterson.

Both were accepted unanimously.

I urge an aye vote and I look forward to continuing this work.

Thank you, Council Member Strauss.

Are there any comments for Council Member Strauss before I let him do closing comments?

Is there anything from my colleagues?

Before we move forward, Council Member Strauss, thank you so much, and Council Member Peterson.

As you know, we have North Seattle College in District 5, and we've worked very closely with former President Dr. Brown and now Dr. Crawford.

We've worked closely with the Chief Seattle Club and looking at housing for students, low-income students, Indigenous students.

We've had great success working with North Seattle College for the Seattle Indian Health Board and a clinic, and also with all of our labor groups and our apprenticeship programs.

And also working with our colleges for the not only running start, but the promise program.

Um, those of you that have, uh, colleges in your district, those are great resources to leverage, and this is just moving it forward on the housing piece.

So thank you.

Council member Strauss very much.

And customer Peterson and your committee for moving this forward.

Um, with that council member stress, you want to close this out before we go to a vote.

Just to say that Seattle Colleges provide a unique opportunity for students here in the city to receive an education with lower amounts of debt than a larger institution.

And by allowing them to provide housing near regional transit, we're hitting three of our goals with one bill here.

So I urge a yay vote.

Thank you.

Light rail.

Two words for you.

All right, will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda?

Aye.

Council Member Nelson?

Aye.

Council Member Peterson?

Aye.

Council Member Sawant?

Yes.

Council Member Stous?

Yes.

Council Member Herbold?

Yes.

Council President Juarez?

Aye.

Nine in favor, nine opposed.

Thank you.

The bill passes, the chair will sign it.

Madam Clerk, could you please affix my signature to the bill?

Moving on to item number three, Council Member Strauss, this is you again.

Madam Clerk, will you please read item number three into the record?

Agenda item three, resolution 32059, a resolution stating the city of Seattle's intent to address climate change and improve resiliency as part of the One Seattle update to the comprehensive plan.

The committee recommends the resolution be adopted.

Council Member Strauss.

Thank you, Council President.

We have the major update to the comprehensive plan coming next year, the One Seattle Plan.

And this last legislative session, the legislature failed to act on passing a bill requiring major updates to address the climate crisis before us.

Thankfully, when the legislature doesn't act, we have the ability to, and that's what we have before us, a resolution stating our intent to address the climate crisis through our major update to the comprehensive plan.

Thank you, Council President.

I should add that Councilor Mosqueda is a co-sponsor.

She was the original sponsor.

I'm sorry, I misspoke.

Councilor Mosqueda, please.

Well, thank you very much, Madam President, and thank you very much to Council Member Strauss.

I'm really excited that we are co-sponsoring this resolution.

This resolution states the city's intent to address climate change and improve resilience as a part of that major comprehensive plan that Council Member Strauss just noted.

And we want to make sure that at the forefront, as we consider the comp plan, that we think about our environment and environmental justice as a cornerstone to our work over the next few years.

I want to thank Erin House.

This was really a product of her saying we can do this in Seattle.

Other jurisdictions have done this, providing examples to our team in the law department to show that there is a really great opportunity for us to weigh in and support the good work that our state legislative members had considered doing.

Again, I want to thank Representative Dewar for joining us in Councilmember Strauss's committee on land use and for all the work that she and the legislative team had done in Olympia, including Representative Joe Fitzgibbon, and so many others on the state and the House, excuse me, on the House and the Senate side who are truly fighting and will continue to fight for a statewide approach to require all cities and counties to address climate change through the local planning.

As noted, this resolution follows up on House Bill 1099 that Council Member Strauss noted did not make it through the state legislature.

This is Representative Dewar's legislation that is going to continue to seek to make sure that climate change is incorporated as climate planning excuse me, as climate plans continue in cities and counties and make sure that everyone is taking an active role in committing to climate resilient communities while reducing contributions to the climate crisis.

There were valiant efforts by Representative Dewar and others in the state legislature this last year.

There was a broad coalition, broad base of support from advocates across the state.

And while the piece of legislation did not make it through last session, it really underscored there is a gap.

There is a gap that this legislation was trying to fix at the statewide level to make sure that more cities and counties are truly considering climate justice as part of their comprehensive planning process.

As we talked about in committee, this is also about making sure that we're leading with a racial justice lens as well, recognizing that it's BIPOC, brown, black, indigenous communities of color who are often in either frontline or fenceline communities, meaning they're living in communities or working in industries that have higher rates of exposure to toxins and the effects of climate injustice, such as extreme heat, wildfire floods, and the disproportionate impact on our health as well.

As we think about the comprehensive plan, we should think about this as our best tool to combat the inequities that are driving climate injustice and to help use the comprehensive plan to drive the creation of additional housing and fight displacement.

It's really using that intersectional lens.

I'm excited that this legislation will be part of our effort to not only build housing, but also as we think about what rezoning looks like, how we make sure that more people can live near the places that we call high opportunity zones.

Places that make sure that you don't have to rely on a car so you can get to work, childcare, community centers, senior centers without having to have a car.

And this is our tool to help make sure that fewer people are being pushed an hour or two outside of the cities contributing to Seattle being the third highest mega commuter city in the entire country.

So again, thank you to all of you for your possible support for this, to Representative Dewar for all of the work that she did in Olympia, to our state legislative champions who have not finished their work on this.

We know we'll be back next session.

And colleagues, you can tell that this will be part of our legislative agenda next year.

I want to make sure that folks know that we are part of a growing list of jurisdictions that are doing this as well, trying to codify the intent of House Bill 1099 in our city and local statutes.

We are now joining King County, Pierce County, Whatcom County, Bothell, Kirkland, and Redmond in our proactive commitment to address climate change.

I want to thank the King County Council who recently adopted a climate planning framework and their comp plan, scoping motion, and aligning this effort here today with the counties will make sure that we are in compliance with the Growth Management Act and also in compliance with, I think, our core values, which is to address climate injustice.

Again, thanks to Aaron House, Lish, Yolanda, the law department, Robin Briggs, and the strong coalition of community organizations that have been fighting for House Bill 1099 and are supportive of this legislation.

along with the OPCD and Office of Sustainability and the Environment.

Madam President, thank you as well.

I will turn it back over to you.

And thank you for your partnership, Councilmember Strauss.

Thank you, Councilmember Mosqueda.

So with that, is there any other comments before we move to a vote for either Councilmember Strauss or Councilmember Mosqueda?

I don't see any, but what I want to add is I want to thank Council Member Esqueda and Council Member Strauss for doing this, but it did pass out of committee five to zero with no opposition.

I want to thank everybody because we've been working on this since the Green New Deal was passed, or was not passed, or the House resolution was in Congress.

But Council Member Sawant addressed this issue in her committee Friday as we were appointing Justin Farrell as the new OSE director, and they had their discussion regarding the Green New Deal, climate justice, and the false narrative that it has to be jobs versus the environment, that that is a false narrative, and we don't need to follow that narrative anymore.

So again, Council Member Mosqueda has been working on this since she got elected, and Council Member Strauss is now working on this, and it looks like we're all on board here.

So with that, Council Member Strauss, is there anything you want to add before we move to a vote?

Well, Council President, I couldn't say it any better than Council Member Mosqueda did.

I urge a yay vote.

Nobody can.

So with that, Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

No resolution.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda.

Aye.

Council Member Nelson.

Aye.

Council Member Peterson.

Aye.

Council Member Sawant.

Yes.

Council Member Strauss.

Yes.

Council Member Herbold.

Yes.

Council President Morales.

Aye.

Nine in favor, nine opposed.

And I misspoke.

It's a resolution, not a bill.

With that, the, well, now it's a bill.

The bill passes and the chair will sign it.

And will the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf.

So moving on to item number four, we have something out of the Neighborhoods, Education, Civil Rights and Culture Committee.

And this will be Councilor Morales, but first we'll have the clerk read item number four into the record.

the report of the Neighborhood Education, Civil Rights and Culture Committee agenda item four, council bill 120335, an ordinance relating to service animals conforming the definition of service animal to federal and state law, establishing a uniform definition for service animal by removing similar terms and including the definition in the parks code and making technical changes to the Seattle Municipal Code.

The committee recommends the bill pass.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Jody.

You did not have to read all the different parts of the code as Devin did in committee.

Apologies again to Devin and my staff.

So this is pretty straightforward, colleagues.

It is a request actually from Department of Justice that we update our definition of service animal in the Human Rights Code and in several other codes so that we are in compliance with ADA and with Washington state law.

It now reads so that there are full protections for all service animals rather than just guide dogs and avoids any possible future exclusion for service animals and people with disability.

And again, just aligns our definition with federal and state law.

And as Jodi mentioned, we have a recommendation from the committee unanimously that we pass the bill.

Thank you.

Is there any comments for our questions for Councilor Morales before we move to a vote?

Councilor Morales, is there anything else you would like to say before we move forward?

You good?

Yeah.

Okay, good.

Thank you.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Morales?

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda?

Aye.

Council Member Nelson?

Aye.

Council Member Peterson?

Aye.

Council Member Sawant.

Yes.

Council Member Strauss.

Yes.

Council Member Herbold.

Yes.

Council President Juarez.

Aye.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you.

The bill passes.

The chair will sign it and Madam Clerk, please affix my signature to the legislation.

Moving on to item number five, which is also Council Member Morales again.

Will the clerk please read item five into the record.

Agenda Item 5, Council Bill 120360, an ordinance relating to historic preservation, imposing controls upon the original Van Asselt School.

The committee recommends the bill pass.

Council Member Ellis.

Thank you.

We've got three bills coming up here, all related to landmarking of Seattle Public Schools.

This bill is about Van Asselt School, which was built in 1909. It is South Beacon Hill, school.

And one of the original, or the original building is architecturally significant.

It is an old school that has been, the Landmarks Board has agreed to allow for an expansion of the facility, but the original piece of it will be preserved, and then the expansion of the school will happen around it, and the committee recommends that we pass.

the legislation.

Thank you, Councilor Morales.

Are there any questions for Councilor Morales?

All right, Councilor Morales, I'm guessing you don't have any closing remarks.

You're good?

Okay.

With that, Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda?

Aye.

Council Member Nelson?

Aye.

Council Member Peterson?

Aye.

Council Member Sawant?

Yes.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Herbold?

Yes.

Council President Wiles?

Aye.

Nine in favor, nine opposed.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

The bill passes.

The chair will sign it.

Madam Clerk, please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf.

Moving on to agenda item number six.

Will you please read item number six into the record?

Agenda item six, council bill 120361, an ordinance relating to historic preservation, imposing controls upon the Loyal Heights Elementary School.

The committee recommends the bill pass.

Thank you.

Councilor Morales.

Thank you.

This elementary school was built in 1932. It's located in the Loyal Heights neighborhood.

And the preservation board's controls and agreements agreement would indicate that it applied to the sites, to the building exterior and portions of the interior, but not to maintenance or repairs that are necessary of the designated features.

And the committee recommends that we pass the bill.

Thank you.

Any comments or questions for Council Member Morales?

And not seeing any, Council Member Morales, I'm guessing you're okay with moving forward on the vote?

I'm okay.

All right, with that, Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda?

Aye.

Council Member Nelson?

Aye.

Council Member Peterson?

Aye.

Council Member Sawant?

Yes.

Council Member Strauss.

Yes.

Council Member Herbold.

Yes.

Council President Juarez.

Aye.

Nine in favor, nine opposed.

Thank you.

The bill passes.

The chair will sign it.

Madam Clerk, please affix my signature to the legislation.

And we are on item number seven, which is also Council Member Ellis again.

Go ahead, Madam Clerk.

And item seven, council bill 120362, an ordinance relating to historic preservation imposing controls upon Ingraham High School.

The committee recommends the bill pass.

Thank you.

Councilor Morales.

Thank you.

So Ingraham High School was built in 1959. It's located in Howler Lake.

It is one of the, one of actually several school buildings built by, oh shoot, I've lost the name.

principal who became part of MBBJ, a nationally recognized firm.

The controls and incentive agreement applies to the exterior of the auditorium and to the gym structure, which preserves the sort of mid-century modern look.

And the committee recommends that the bill pass.

Councilmember Morales, I did not know that 1959 was mid-century.

That was a good year.

Mid-last century.

1959 was a good year.

I just want to point that out.

A lot of good things happened in 1959. I'm sure they did.

With that, is there any comments or questions for Councilmember Morales regarding item number seven?

And I'm guessing we can move forward on the vote.

Councilmember Morales?

Yes, please.

Thank you.

Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Councilmember Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales.

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda.

Aye.

Council Member Nelson.

Aye.

Council Member Peterson.

Aye.

Council Member Salant.

Yes.

Council Member Strauss.

Yes.

Council Member Herbold.

Yes.

Council President Juarez.

Aye.

Nine in favor, nine opposed.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

The bill passes.

The chair will sign it.

And Madam Clerk, please affix my signature to the bill.

Moving on to item number eight, this will be Council Member Herbold, but first, Madam Clerk, will you please read item number eight into the record?

The report of the Public Safety and Human Services Committee, agenda item eight, Council Bill 120337, an ordinance relating to civilian and community oversight of the police, establishing a process for investigating complaints, naming a chief of police, and adding sections to the municipal code, the committee recommends the bill pass as amended.

Thank you.

Kisper Herbold.

Thank you so much.

This bill addresses a technical issue from the 2017 accountability ordinance, which didn't address how complaints that name the chief of police should be addressed.

I became aware of this issue earlier this year and immediately reached out to the mayor's office, the Inspector General, and the Office of Police Accountability to chart a path forward to address this.

As noted in the recitals, there were three complaints against the former chief in 2020. that lingered for some time until Mayor Harrell's office forwarded the complaints to an external agency for investigation.

Moving forward, it's important for public trust to have a clear process to resolve these types of complaints.

The legislation establishes a process for the intake, evaluation, classification, and investigation of complaints that name the chief, either by a city unit or by an independent investigative body that is external to the city.

That process would involve the Office of the Inspector General, and the legislation also requires key stakeholders and the person or people who made the complaint to be notified at investigative milestones.

I'd like to thank Inspector General Judge and Interim OCA Director Perkins, as well as their staffs, for their assistance and time in developing this legislation.

Central staff in my office held a number of meetings with them, and I worked through a number of complicated issues.

I'd also like to thank the Community Police Commission, the Mayor's Office for their collaboration on this legislation, as well as my own staff, Newell Aldrich.

The Public Safety and Human Services Committee made changes to the original draft in response to a letter from the Community Police Commission to state that both intake and any investigations conducted by OPA shall be conducted exclusively by civilian personnel.

And there are four civilian personnel at the OPA now, two civilian investigators and two civilian supervisors.

It also requires that any non-city entity conducting an investigation of a non-criminal violation will not be a law enforcement agency, and that any investigation of a suspected violation of law would be investigated by a non-law enforcement agency.

The committee heard this bill four times before sending it to Council.

It moved forward with a unanimous vote, and I urge my colleagues to vote for it today.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Herbold.

Are there any questions or concerns for Councilmember Herbold regarding item number eight?

Oh, I see one.

Councilmember Sawant.

Thank you.

I will be voting no on this legislation establishing the investigation procedures for complaints against the chief of police.

This legislation is largely technical, establishing timelines and notification requirements for the investigations while maintaining the current accountability system of the OPA, OIG and the political establishment.

This is a system that has completely failed to hold the Seattle Police Department accountable for their militarized response to the Black Lives Matter movement of 2020, for the billowing clouds of tear gas, flashbang grenades, and pepper spray.

This is a system that is designed to condone when officers killed Charlena Lyles in her own home in front of her small children because she made the mistake of calling the police.

What we need is an elected community oversight board with full powers to investigate complaints against the police, including the police chief, not further reliance on the OPA, OIG and other entities of the utterly failed current accountability structures.

For those reasons, I will be voting no.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Sawant.

Are there any other comments?

And Council Member Herbold, is there anything you'd like to add before we close out?

You good?

No, thank you.

All right, thank you.

With that, Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda?

Aye.

Council Member Nelson.

Aye.

Council Member Peterson.

Aye.

Council Member Sawant.

No.

Council Member Strauss.

Yes.

Council Member Herbold.

Yes.

Council President Juarez.

Aye.

Eight in favor, one opposed.

Thank you.

The bill passes and the chair will sign it.

And Madam Clerk, please affix my signature to the passage of the bill.

That concludes the eight committee reports that were listed on the agenda.

And with that, moving on to the agenda, we move to items removed from the consent calendar.

There were no items removed.

Going to Section J of the agenda, adoption of other resolutions.

Not seeing any other resolutions for introduction and adoption today.

Before we move on, is there any other business to come before council before I move to adjourn?

Thank you so much.

I'd like to just raise a point of order as it relates to the IRC.

I did not make any motions to amend the IRC because I was just discovering the irregularity as it relates to council rules sort of in real time.

But I just want to alert us all that the council in the council rules has has a relatively new rule passed last December that when a bill is being referred directly to full council and circumventing the committee with jurisdiction, that there's a process in the council rules that needs to be followed.

And so I just want to flag that that process wasn't followed in this case.

And as a supporter of council member Sawant's bill relating to Um, the, um, the, uh, limitations on local law enforcement from cooperating in, um, in investigations or, or, or enforcing warrants, um, against people who, um, are either seeking abortions or have performed abortions.

I'm a supporter of that bill.

I would have liked the opportunity to consider having it in my committee.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Herbold.

Councilor Swan, did you want to respond, or is there any other comments or concerns?

I'm sorry.

The process was that the Council President is supposed to consult with the committee chair.

Yeah.

Yeah, I heard you.

Is there anything else?

All right.

Not seeing anything else.

Before we move to adjourn, colleagues.

Oh, Council Member Nelson.

I just saw your hand.

Speaking of Council Member Sawant's resolution, I just wanted to let the viewing public know that Council saw this legislation, I think it was yesterday or perhaps it was Friday, when it was put on the IRC.

And so it's not that we are failing to act, it is just now before us.

Thank you.

Council Member Sawant.

I was not actually going to speak, but just in response to Council Member Herbold, I would, I mean, yes, as Council Member Herbold correctly indicated, this is not something that I would determine if it is from the Council President's office, but also I would say that The council rules say that bills refer directly to the full city council.

Yeah, I mean, they should talk to the committee chair that it would have otherwise gone to, but I would say that this bill, I don't know that it has a very obvious home in terms of the way the committee designations exist.

So it makes sense to me what the council president has done.

That's it.

Right.

And without direct, well, you know, I don't want to, I just want to directly respond.

Sometimes when we get these matters, I have to do a balancing test and council members to want and her staff with our staff and I made a decision.

And it will be on the calendar next week.

This is legislation that we had seen in council members one had been discussing.

And we certainly heard a lot from public comment as well today.

It has been timely since the Dobbs decision was decided on June 24th.

So with that, sometimes I'm going to make decisions that people may not be happy with, but I would say it's nothing personal to try and move the calendar forward and accommodate people's needs before we go on recess.

That being said, all right, I will start again.

Our next regularly scheduled city council meeting is on Tuesday, July 25th.

at two o'clock, and I hope you all have a wonderful afternoon.

We are adjourned.

Thank you, everybody.