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Committee approves creation report for Civil Rights Trust Fund to support enforcement and individual relief
Summary
The committee approved a motion instructing the city’s Civil, Human Rights and Equity Department and city attorney to report on establishing a Civil Rights Trust Fund to assist departmental operations and support victims; members asked staff to clarify how penalties and administrative fees are handled.
The Budget and Finance Committee approved a motion instructing the Civil, Human Rights and Equity Department and the City Attorney to report on establishing a Civil Rights Trust Fund to support department operations and to propose an ordinance to create the fund.
Councilmembers asked staff to clarify whether administrative penalties collected for civil‑rights violations or related enforcement currently stay with departments or are deposited to the general fund. Department staff told the committee their informal review found no direct corollary to the proposed enforcement unit and that many departments remit penalties to the general fund under existing practice; the committee asked that the report explain which penalties could be retained and which would flow to the general fund, and to include a rationale for any exceptions.
The committee approved the item as amended. Roll call was Councilmember Yaroslavsky — yes; Councilmember Blumenfield — yes; Councilmember Hutt — yes; Councilmember McOsker — yes; Councilmember Hernandez — yes.
Committee members asked that the report explicitly compare retained departmental penalty practices and explain the rationale for any proposed exceptions, noting the city’s strained general fund.
