Commission reviews 2024 complaints list and discusses investigation authority, training and referral role

At the January 15 meeting the City of Albany Commission on Human Rights reviewed a compiled list of complaints from 2024 and discussed how the commission should handle complaints while the investigation committee and supporting infrastructure remain under development.

Commissioners said the commission's enabling code provides broad language about responsibilities but that the New York State Division of Human Rights has advised the commission it does not have authority to conduct certain investigations. Commissioners discussed that, for now, the commission is functioning largely as a referral or "pass-through" to state or other local agencies and that commissioners can be trained to help complainants complete state online complaint forms.

Members said they are seeking legal clarification from corporation counsel on the commission's exact investigatory authority and that, in the interim, city staff previously routing complaint information have been forwarding referrals and resource information to complainants. Commissioners raised privacy limits on following up with other agencies and noted that some complainants later reported that receiving a referral did not lead to external follow-up by the receiving agency.

The commission said it will pursue local attorney contacts and other training sources, collaborate with neighboring commissions (Binghamton was cited as also seeking training), and consider adding a clarifying note to the complaints report to describe current referral procedures until the commission's investigative infrastructure and legal authority are resolved.