San Diego Rules Committee Meeting - July 14, 2021: Inclusive Language Amendments and Safeguard San Diego Ballot Measure
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San Diego Rules Committee Meeting - July 14, 2021
The Rules Committee of the San Diego City Council met virtually on July 14, 2021, at approximately 10:00 AM Pacific Time via Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was chaired by Council President Campbell and included Vice Chair Campillo, Committee Members Whitburn, Von Wilpert, and Kate (who left before the final vote). The committee unanimously approved the actions from the June 9, 2021 meeting. Non-agenda public comment had no speakers. The main agenda items were proposed amendments to promote inclusive language in city documents and initial consideration of a ballot measure to update city contracting policies (Safeguard San Diego) to allow project labor agreements.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-agenda public comment: No speakers.
- Inclusive Language (Item 1): Three speakers voiced support:
- Luis Montela Adams (San Diego LGBT Community Center) stressed the importance of respecting pronouns for well-being and creating a welcoming environment.
- Helen Weldegorges (District 4 resident) supported inclusive language as part of a supportive and accepting environment.
- Angela Wells (co-chair of the city's LGBTQ+ employee alliance) highlighted the need for inclusive language to represent employees, residents, and visitors.
- Safeguard San Diego (Item 2): 19 speakers addressed the committee. Positions included:
- Support: Many union representatives, labor council members, and community members argued the measure is needed to restore state infrastructure funding, protect local jobs, and modernize contracting. Speakers included Ricardo Flores (LISC San Diego), Sean Kion Ellis (Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 230), Gretchen Newsom (IBEW 569), Rick Bates (Unite Here Local 30), Tom Lemon (San Diego Building Trades Council), Lonnie Lutar (original Measure A proponent who now supports repeal), Dr. Joel Day (UCSD), Carol Kim (Building Trades Council), and others.
- Concerns/Opposition: Alexis Hamid and Abdur Rahim Hamid (Black Contractors Association) argued that PLAs have historically excluded BIPOC communities and urged inclusive language in the measure. Dustin Steiner (Associated General Contractors) stated no state dollars had been lost and requested stakeholder meetings. Some callers emphasized the need for equity in apprenticeships for Black, Asian, and women workers.
Discussion Items
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Item 1: Proposed amendments to municipal code and council policies to promote inclusive language
- Presented by Justine Murray (Director of Policy, Councilmember Campillo) and Josh Coyne (Director of Policy, Council President Campbell). They outlined national anti-trans discrimination trends, state and federal progress on non-binary IDs, and examples from other cities (Boston, Portland, Berkeley, Oakland). The request was to direct the City Attorney's office to draft ordinance amendments requiring future use of non-binary, non-gendered language in city documents.
- Committee members expressed strong support, noting the importance of reflecting diversity and countering anti-LGBTQ+ bills. Councilmember Campillo made a motion to direct the City Attorney to work with his office and Council President Campbell's office to draft amendments for full council approval. The motion passed unanimously (5–0).
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Item 2: Initial consideration of a proposed ballot measure for November 2022 (Safeguard San Diego)
- Presented by Justine Murray and Cody Vieira (Deputy Chief of Staff, Councilmember Whitburn). The measure would repeal the 2012 ban on project labor agreements (PLAs) to bring the city into compliance with state law and allow access to state infrastructure funds. The measure includes provisions for local hiring, apprenticeships, a citizens oversight board, public disclosure of contracts, and strict auditing. Staff cited potential loss of $140 million for the Pure Water Project without an exception, and that other major California cities already allow PLAs.
- Many callers supported the measure as a way to protect funding and create local jobs; some urged inclusion of equity requirements for women and people of color.
- Councilmember Campillo moved to direct staff from Districts 7 and 3 and the City Attorney to prepare a draft measure for future committee consideration. The motion initially specified December 2021 but was amended (at the City Attorney's suggestion) to remove the date to allow adequate review. The motion passed 4–0 (Councilmember Kate absent).
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: Unanimous approval (5–0) to direct the City Attorney to draft inclusive language amendments for future council adoption.
- Item 2: Approved (4–0) to begin drafting the Safeguard San Diego ballot measure; the draft will be brought back to the Rules Committee for a second discussion and then to the full council.
- The next Rules Committee meeting was scheduled for September 29, 2021, at 2:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
We're gonna get started shortly. Can everyone can just hang on president? Thank you. A little technical difficulties, but here we are. Is it time to begin? Yes, please proceed. Good afternoon. I want to welcome you to the July 14th, 2021 Rules Committee meeting per executive order Night 21, which suspends certain requirements of the Brown Act. All council members will be attending via Zoom. And city staff will be participating via Zoom, and no members of the public will be in attendance at the meeting in the interest of public health and safety. In addition, the meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the committee liaison has made arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. We appreciate the public's cooperation. We will go over the specifics of how to join the webinar, and we'll give details on how the public can offer their public testimony. I will now call the rules committee meeting of Wednesday, July 14th, 2021, to order. And for purposes of the roll call, those on the Zoom include Vice Chair Campillo, Committee Member Whitburn, Committee Member Von Wilpert, and Committee Member Kate and myself. Each council member is attending virtually. And also participating via the Zoom are Randy Weil from the Mayor's Office, Kathy Steinman from the City Attorney's Office, Jeff Gore from the IBA office. The public may view the meeting on public television on City TV Channel 24 for Cox Communication and Time Warner Cable or Channel 99 for ATT, or view the meeting online by going to the City Council Committee's homepage at Sandigo.gov and selecting the City TV Live Webcast blue button on the right hand side of the page. The committee meetings will be held virtually using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public can offer public comment on items by accessing the Zoom webinar online using a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, or by calling into the meeting using a smartphone, cellular phone, or landline. The link to join the committee meeting webinar by computer, tablet or smartphone is listed on the agenda on how to join by iPhone 1 tab. So join the webinar by telephone. This information will also uh be available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each item. When I introduce the item you would like to comment on, you'll raise your hand by either tapping the raise your hand button on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, or by pressing star 9 on your phone. You will be taken in the order in which you raise your hand. You may only speak once on a particular item. When I indicate it is your turn to speak, I will call you by your name as it appears on the Zoom webinar attendee list, or I will read out the last four digits of your phone number if you have called into the meeting. That is how you will know it is your turn to speak. If you have joined the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone, you will receive a pop-up notice to select the unmute your device to uh and if you have called into the meeting by cell phone or landline, press star six on your phone to unmute yourself. We will review these instructions briefly again when the public comment period on an item is open. Please wait until the item you wish to speak to has been called before raising your hand to speak. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. When you're announced as the next speaker, please unmute yourself and offer your comments. Also, please mute the volume on your speaker or computer before you begin to speak. Thank you. A quorum is now present, and we will start with the approval of the committee actions. The actions before you for approval are for the meeting of June 9th, 2021. Do I have a motion to approve the committee actions? I will move council member. I will second. Thank you. We have a motion by Councilmember Campillo and a second by Councilmember von Wilpert. And we will now have each council member register the vote. And please uh mute yourself once you have voted. Vice Chair Campillo. I vote yes. Committee member Whitburn? Yes. Committee member Von Wilper. Yes.
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