Legislative Matters to Meet, Discuss 8 Item Agenda

The Committee on Legislative Matters will be meeting on Tuesday May 13th at 6:30pm to discuss an eight item agenda that includes further deliberation on Formula Businesses, Public Records Requests, and "Globe Direct" deliveries among other items that have been submitted through the Board of Aldermen.

The Committee will also be discuss adding "gender identity and expression" in the City's anti-discrimination policy. Members of Mass Equality, as well as, the LGBT Liaison are rumored to be attending the meeting at the request of Chairperson/Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz.

The remaining agenda items will be taken up at future meetings should they not have time to discuss them at this one according to an announcement by Gewirtz at the April 22nd gathering of the Committee.

1. 195725 : That the City Solicitor provide this Board’s Committee on Legislative Matters with input on restricting formula businesses in Somerville by requiring specific review and oversight before they may enter central business districts.
2. 196357 : That the city's Human Rights Policy at Ordinance 2-237 be amended by adding the words "gender identity and expression," to protect transgender individuals from discrimination.
3. 196362 : That the City Solicitor appear before this Board to describe the process for responding to requests for public records, including fees and redactions, and how this comports with the requirements of state law, the Secretary of State's Public Records Division, and the practices of other communities.
4. 196644 : That the City Solicitor provide the Committee on Legislative Matters with an analysis of the Law Department’s support to charge for review and redaction of requested information.
5. 196645 : That the City Solicitor provide the Committee on Legislative Matters with the good faith estimate of number of hours and the hourly rates charged for every information request this year, to date.
6. 196646 : That the City Solicitor report to the Committee on Legislative Matters on the Board's ability to create guidelines for public information requests.
7. 196780 : That the City Solicitor advise this Board of the city's ability to control the dissemination of advertisements from "Globe Direct", and inquire why individual requests to stop unsolicited deliveries are not followed.
8. 196781 : That the Licensing Commission reconsider the regulation for liquor establishments to leave doors open between 8 AM and 9 PM, Monday through Friday, in areas that aren't central business districts, and convey to this Board how this regulation may be altered.