HomeMy WebLinkAbout6695 ORDINANCE NO. 6695
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
AUBURN, WASHINGTON, DIRECTING THE REVISION OF
CITY ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS TO USE NON-
GENDERED PRONOUNS AND AMENDING SECTION
1.04.020 OF THE AUBURN CITY CODE
WHEREAS, the City of Auburn has a long history of promoting equality
and non-discrimination including but not limited to: provision of health care
coverage to domestic partners (Ord. 6156); reaffirming its commitment to
inclusiveness (Res. 5284); and adopting several provisions of the City's
Personnel Policies; and,
WHEREAS, RCW 35.21.500(1) authorizes codification of ordinances,
including but not limited to "...modernizing and clarifying the language of such
ordinances, but without changing the meaning of any such ordinance;" and,
WHEREAS, City staff in recent years has been drafting ordinances and
policies to be non-gendered where a specific gender is not necessary to the
meaning of the ordinance; and,
WHEREAS, staff recommends updating existing code and policies where
practicable to make pronouns non-gendered where appropriate.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN,
WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN as follows:
Section 1. It is the intent of the City Council that City documents, including
but not limited to legislation and administrative policies, be written in a way that
does not refer to gender unless it is necessary to do so in the context of the
document. To the extent practicable, existing plans and policies should be
rewritten when those plans or policies are updated.
Ordinance No. 6695
October 10, 2018
Page 1 of 3
Section 2. As provided for in RCW 35.21.500(1), staff is authorized and
directed to have the City's published municipal code, as well as plans and
administrative regulations, modernized by changing gendered pronouns to non-
gendered terms when doing so does not change the meaning of the regulatory
provision.
Section 3. Section 1.04.020 of the Auburn City Code is amended to read
as follows:
1.04.020 Grammatical interpretation.
The following grammatical rules shall apply in the ordinances of the city:
A. Cender. The masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter
genders.
&-Singular and Plural. The singular number includes the plural and the
plural includes the singular.
GB. Tenses. Words used in the present tense include the past and the
future tenses and vice versa, unless manifestly inapplicable.
DC. Use of Words and Phrases. Words and phrases not specifically
defined shall be construed according to the context and approved usage of the
language. (Ord. 6298 § 1, 2010; Ord. 2905 § 2, 1976.)
Section 4. Implementation. The Mayor is authorized to implement such
administrative procedures as may be necessary to carry out the directions of this
legislation.
Section 4. Severability. The provisions of this ordinance are declared to
be separate and severable. The invalidity of any clause, sentence, paragraph,
subdivision, section or portion of this ordinance, or the invalidity of the application
thereof to any person or circumstance shall not affect the validity of the
remainder of this ordinance, or the validity of its application to other persons or
circumstances.
Ordinance No. 6695
October 10, 2018
Page 2 of 3
Section 5. Effective date. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in
force five days from and after its passage, approval and publication as provided
by law.
INTRODUCED: OCT:1 i 2018
PASSED: OCT 1.5 2018
APPROVED: OCT 15 2010
I* C)eif"Wit44
ANCY ' KUS,
+ AYOR
ATTEST:
Shawn Campbell, MMC, City Clerk
APP; ; :(\AS TO FORM:
Steven L. Gross, City Attorney
Published:
Ordinance No. 6695
October 10, 2018
Page 3 of 3