Committee advances Equal Rights Commission appointments, adopts ordinance giving commission formal adjudication process

The Milwaukee Judiciary and Legislation Committee on Feb. 3 confirmed mayoral appointments to the City Equal Rights Commission and adopted an ordinance (file 241-499) establishing formal procedures for investigations, probable-cause panels and administrative hearings under Chapter 109.

The ordinance and appointments were taken up in committee after Tony Snell Rodriguez, chair of the City of Milwaukee Equal Rights Commission, described gaps in the commission's ability to accept and adjudicate discrimination complaints. "This is a toolkit that we have," Snell Rodriguez told the committee, saying the measure creates a three-member panel to oversee investigations, probable-cause determinations and hearings while preserving a full hearing record for administrative or judicial review.

The measure implements procedures the commission and city attorney's office drafted to give the commission authority to take certain complaints that are not covered by federal or state statutes. Snell Rodriguez cited the Crown Act — local protections for hairstyle discrimination — as an example of grounds that can fall under the city's Chapter 109 when state or federal law does not provide a remedy.

Committee members asked how the three-member panels will be composed and trained. Snell Rodriguez clarified that the panelists will be commissioners from the Equal Rights Commission and said training for investigations is a planned next step. He also said the commission is adding staff, including an equal rights specialist and a compliance liaison, so it can begin taking complaints locally rather than only referring them to state or federal agencies.

The committee also considered three mayoral appointments to the Equal Rights Commission. Ray (Rae) Johnson, who introduced themself to the committee as an advocate with prior Milwaukee County communications experience and current work for a geospatial software company, was presented for confirmation. "I bought a house in the Lindsay Heights neighborhood with the support of PAX Housing five years ago," Johnson said, adding they identify as a "queer, proud Black woman." The committee moved to confirm Johnson; no objection was recorded in the committee transcript.

The committee also confirmed Paul Smith, described in committee as vice president of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce and active with Native business communities. A separate mayoral nomination for Virginia Zerpa was withdrawn and the item was placed on file.

Passage of ordinance 241-499 was moved on the record and the committee ordered its adoption. Proponents said the procedure will allow the commission to collect consistent data, educate businesses on best practices and, where appropriate, notify licensing bodies when rules or laws appear to have been violated. Opponents did not register formal objections during the committee discussion recorded in the transcript.

The ordinance will allow the commission to collect data about complaints in roughly 11 categories the commission uses, including employment, housing and public accommodations, and to bring remedies locally when state or federal options are not available. The committee record notes the commission will preserve full hearing records to support administrative or judicial review in contested cases.

The committee took the measures during its regular agenda and ordered the appointments and ordinance actions for final processing at the council level.