DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, FL — A proposed charter amendment focused on using data to address the impacts of past public policy is returning to the Citizens Charter Review Committee for a final vote in Leon County.
The Historic Harms Amendment would require the use of data to highlight the impacts of past public policy and make efforts to remedy them. The Citizens Charter Review Committee will decide whether to advance the amendment after it originally failed in a 9-9 vote.
Community activist Dr. Bruce Strouble, who is behind the amendment, said the additional time has allowed for refinements to address legal concerns.
"Well, now we're just simply looking to say, 'How do we build this in a way that clears the legal obstacles and hurdles put before us?' We want to make sure that we're not doing anything that violates the new state legislation, so we're not looking to do anything DEI or reparations related," Strouble said.
The amendment was revived by the Leon County Commission, but some commissioners have raised concerns about whether it could conflict with a new law that in part prohibits DEI initiatives within local governments.
"I think this bill is trouble," Leon County Commissioner Brian Welch said at an earlier commission meeting.
County staff have also noted the amendment may not be necessary, arguing the county is already carrying out the work it would require.
"You are asking the charter committee if you should ask the citizens to vote on putting something in the charter to give you the authority to do something you either A) already do or already can do," Leon County Administrator Vincent Long said.
Strouble maintains the amendment's focus would remain narrow.
"We're looking simply at historic harms and restoring communities that have been damaged," Strouble said.
The Citizens Charter Review Committee is set to discuss the amendment at a special meeting on May 28. An agenda for the meeting is expected next week.
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