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Commissioners urge public to weigh in as City Council prepares vote on expanded human‑rights ordinance
Summary
Members of the Tulsa Human Rights Commission reported an upcoming City Council vote on an ordinance to expand human‑rights protections and encouraged residents to contact councilors; a committee hearing and a council meeting were scheduled this week.
Josiah, outgoing vice chair of the Tulsa Human Rights Commission, told the commission that a City Council vote on a proposed human‑rights ordinance was scheduled this week that would extend public‑accommodation protections to include sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran status. “There is a vote coming up on Wednesday of this week for a human rights ordinance to actually update what we just went over including making extending protections and public accommodations based on ****** orientation, gender identity, and veteran status,” Josiah said.
Commissioners urged residents and commissioners to contact their city councilors in advance. A commission member said the committee hearing is set for 10:30 a.m. on the fourth floor at City Council Chambers and the council’s 5 p.m. meeting on Wednesday was identified as the primary opportunity for the full council to act. One commissioner who attended the council committee meeting encouraged colleagues to observe and offered to guide anyone who wanted to watch or be called to speak.
Why it matters: The change would be an amendment to city human‑rights protections and would be decided by City Council ordinance. The commission framed its role as advocacy and outreach—encouraging residents to contact councilors and, where appropriate, attend committee and council meetings to give testimony or observe the proceeding.
What the commission asked: Commissioners asked members to email or call their own councilors and, when possible, attend the committee meeting and the 5 p.m. council meeting. One commissioner who attended the committee meeting said they had already spoken in support and that seeing commission members in the audience can lead to opportunities to be called and provide remarks.
No ordinance number or text was read at the commission meeting; speakers referred to the item as a forthcoming ordinance and encouraged public engagement. The commission did not take a formal vote on the ordinance itself during this meeting.
