Councilwoman to introduce resolution condemning recent Supreme Court decision on Voting Rights Act

Councilwoman Amobian used her remarks near the end of the meeting to announce she will ask the council to consider a resolution condemning a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision she said undermines protections the Voting Rights Act provided.

"I rise to strongly condemn the decision by the US Supreme Court," Amobian said, and told colleagues her legislative aide would draft a resolution for the council’s consideration. She said the Voting Rights Act of 1965 increased representation for people of color and expressed concern that parts of those protections have been "gutted and stripped away."

Amobian asked fellow council members to research the decision ahead of the next meeting and to lend their voices to a statement the city would send to Washington. She framed the measure as a civic message rather than a local policy change; the clerk recorded that time would be granted for the item and that members should expect the resolution to be introduced at a subsequent meeting.

There was no formal vote on the resolution at this session; Amobian said she would bring the proposed resolution forward next week.