Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance amends various chapters throughout Title 39 of the Columbus City Codes. Title 39 is the portion of Columbus City Codes governing the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. These changes vary in nature from clarifying and specifying certain administrative functions to expansions of the keystone programming under the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
As an overview, the code changes in this ordinance are as follows:
· 3901.01 Definition of terms.
o Removing the definition of “Emerging Business Enterprise.”
o Adding the definition of “Program.”
o Adding the definition of “Program member.”
o Adding the definition of “Regional Business Enterprise (RBE).”
· 3902.01 Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
o Amending the office responsibility to include assisting economically disadvantaged small, regional businesses.
· 3902.02 Duties of the Director.
o Amending the Director’s duties to include promulgating and enforcing rules and regulations for small, regional businesses in the form of a Program Manual.
· 3902.04 Workforce development.
o Replacing Workforce diversity with Workforce development. This expands the program to focus on socioeconomic factors.
· Chapter 3903 Assistance activities.
o Clarifying that assistance activities are limited to certified small and/or regional businesses, but that minority and/or women-owned businesses may continue to be certified for identification purposes, provided that such minority and women-owned businesses shall not be the beneficiaries of assistance activities until such times as City Council reauthorizes those activities pursuant to Section 3907.98 of the Columbus City Codes.
· 3904.01 Small Regional Business Enterprise Program and Regional Business Enterprise Program.
o Adding the Regional Business Enterprise (RBE) certification. This expands the certification program to businesses within the State of Ohio.
o Amending the SRBE eligibility criteria pertaining to the size of the business. The chang...
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