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Council debates local law to extend harassment protections to city employees; sends revisions to legal for clarity on scope and penalties
Summary
Councilors debated a proposed local law to expand code §1‑88‑17 to cover city employees and to designate violations a class B misdemeanor. Members and counsel questioned whether that language overlaps with state penal law and could implicate free‑speech protections; council voted to take the item back to legal for revision and clarification.
Councilors reviewed a proposed local law to amend local code section 1‑88‑17 so its protections would apply not only to city officers but also to city employees. The draft also states that violations of subsection (b) would be class B misdemeanors. Several council members and residents raised free‑speech and enforceability concerns, and council legal counsel (Crystal) explained the rationale and options for narrowing language.
Crystal told the council the…
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