Matters ▸ Attachment
SomervilleSurveillanceOrdinance-V7 - BEC RedLine — File 208815
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Ordinance X.X Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology
2019 September 8 - Draft v7
Contents
Section 1.1 Purpose .................................................................................................................... 1
Section 1.2 Definitions ................................................................................................................ 1
Section 1.3 Exceptions and Exemptions ..................................................................................... 3
Section 1.4 Submission to the City Council of Surveillance Use Policy .................................... 65
Section 1.5 Submission to the City Council of Surveillance Technology Impact Report and
Technology-Specific Surveillance Use Policy .............................................................................. 7
Section 1.6 Submission to the City Council of Annual Surveillance Report ............................. 98
Section 1.7 Enforcement ....................................................................................................... 1110
Section 1.8 Severability ......................................................................................................... 1110
Section 1.9 Effective Date ..................................................................................................... 1211
Section 1.1 Purpose
The purpose of this Ordinance is to provide for formal public oversightthe regulation of
Surveillance Technology acquisition or use by the City of Somerville or the use of the
Surveillance Data it provides; . The provisions herein to safeguard the right of individuals to
privacy, ; to balance the public’s right to privacy with the need to promote and ensure safety
and security, ; to provide protocols for use of Surveillance Technology or Surveillance Data
that include specific steps to mitigate potential impacts on the civil rights and liberties of any
individuals, communities or groups including communities of color or other marginalized
communities in the City; to balance any decision to use Surveillance Technology with an
assessment of the costs and protection of privacy, civil liberties and civil rights; to allow for
informed public discussion before deploying Surveillance Technology; to provide for
transparency, oversight, and accountability; and to minimize the risks posed by use of
Surveillance Technology in the City. Once in effect, this Ordinance shall override Somerville’s
Executive Order of October 4, 2017 entitled “Executive Policy on Surveillance Technology.
Section 1.2 Definitions
The following definitions apply to this Ordinance:
(A) “Annual Surveillance Report” means a written report submitted by the Mayor’s Office
on an annual basis concerning specific Surveillance Technology used by any City
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department during the previous year and containing the information set forth in 1.6(B)
of this Ordinance.
(B) “Exigent Circumstances” means the Police Chief’s or the Police Chief’s designee’s good
faith and reasonable belief that an emergency involving danger of death, physical injury,
or significant property damage or loss, similar to those that would render impracticable
to obtain a warrant, requires use of the Surveillance Technology or the Surveillance Data
it provides; provided that it was not foreseeable that the Police Chief or the Police
Chief’s designee’s actions would create the exigency, even if their conduct was lawful. .
The use of Surveillance Technology in Exigent Circumstances shall not infringe upon an
individual’s right to peacefully protest and exercise other lawful and protected
Constitutional Rights.
(C) “Identifiable Individuals” means an individual whose identity can be revealed by data,
including Surveillance Data, or revealed by data when it is analyzed and/or combined
with any other type of record.
(D) “Surveillance” means the act of observing or analyzing the movements, behavior, or
actions of Identifiable Individuals.
(E) “Surveillance Data” means any electronic data collected, captured, recorded, retained,
processed, intercepted, or analyzed by Surveillance Technology acquired by the City or
operated at the direction of the City.
(F) “Surveillance Technology” means any electronic surveillance device, hardware, or
software that is capable of collecting, capturing, recording, retaining, processing,
intercepting, analyzing, monitoring, or sharing audio, visual, digital, location, thermal,
biometric, or similar information specifically associated with, or capable of being
associated with, any Identifiable Individual or group; or any system, device, or vehicle
that is equipped with an electronic surveillance device, hardware, or software. Examples
of Surveillance Technology include, but are not limited to:
i.
International Mobile Subscriber Identity (“IMSI”) catchers and other cell
site simulators;
ii.
Automatic license plate readers;
iii.
Electronic toll readers;
iii.
(a)iv.
Closed-circuit television cameras except as otherwise provided herein;
iv.v.
Biometric Surveillance Technology, including facial, voice, iris, and gait-
recognition software and databases;
v.vi.
Mobile DNA capture technology;
vi.vii.
Gunshot detection and location hardware and services;
vii.viii.
X-ray vans;
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viii.
Video and audio monitoring and/or recording technology, such as
surveillance cameras and wearable body cameras;
ix.
(b)x.
Surveillance enabled or capable lightbulbs or light fixtures;
ix.xi.
Tools, including software and hardware, used to gain unauthorized access
to a computer, computer service, or computer network;
x.xii.
Social media monitoring software;
xi.xiii.
Through-the-wall radar or similar imaging technology;
xii.xiv.
Passive scanners of radio networks;
xiii.xv.
Long-range Bluetooth and other wireless-scanning devices;
xiv.xvi.
Thermal imaging or “Forward Looking Infrared” devices or cameras;
xv.xvii.
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanners; and
xvi.xviii.
Software designed to integrate or analyze data from Surveillance
Technology, including surveillance target tracking and predictive policing
software.
(G) “Surveillance Technology Impact Report” means a written report submitted by the
Mayor’s Office with a request for approval of acquisition or use of Surveillance
Technology, and which includes, at a minimum, the requirements set forth in Subsection
1.5(B).
(H) “Surveillance Use Policy” means a policy for the City’s use of Surveillance Technology,
approved by the City Solicitor and the Mayor’s Office, and submitted by the Mayor’s
Office to and approved by the City Council. The Surveillance Use Policy shall at a
minimum satisfy the requirements set forth in Section 1.4.
(I) “Technology-Specific Surveillance Use Policy” means a policy governing the City’s use
of a specific Surveillance Technology not already covered under the City’s Surveillance
Use Policy, approved by the City Solicitor and the Mayor, and submitted by the Mayor to
the City Council with a Surveillance Technology Impact Report under Section 1.5of this
Ordinance.
Section 1.3 Exceptions and Exemptions
(A) For the purposes of this Ordinance, the following do not constitute Surveillance Data or
Surveillance Technology, and the requirements of this Ordinance do not apply to them:
i.
Surveillance Data acquired where the individual knowingly and
voluntarily consented to provide the information, such as submitting
personal information for the receipt of City services;
ii.
Surveillance Data acquired where the individual was presented with a
clear and conspicuous opportunity to opt out of providing the
information;
(B) For the purposes of this Ordinance, Surveillance Technology and Surveillance Data do
not include the following devices, software, or hardware and are exempt from the
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requirements of this Ordinance, unless the devices, hardware, or software are modified
to include additional surveillance capabilities as defined in Section 1.2:
i.
Routine office hardware, such as televisions, computers, and printers,
that are in widespread public use and will not be used for any
surveillance or surveillance-related functions;
ii.
Parking Ticket Devices (“PTDs”) and related databases.
iii.
Manually-operated, non-wearable, handheld digital cameras, audio
recorders, and video recorders that are not designed to be used
surreptitiously and whose functionality is used for manually capturing
and manually downloading video and/or audio recordings;
iv.
Body-worn cameras;
v.
Cameras installed in or on a police vehicle;
vi.
Cameras installed pursuant to state law authorization in or on any vehicle
or along a public right-of-way solely to record traffic violations or traffic
patterns, provided that the Surveillance Data gathered is intended to be
used only for that purpose;
vii.
Surveillance devices that cannot record or transmit audio or video or be
remotely accessed, such as image stabilizing binoculars or night vision
goggles;
viii.
City databases that do not and will not contain any Surveillance Data or
other information collected, captured, recorded, retained, processed,
intercepted, or analyzed by Surveillance Technology;
ix.
Manually-operated technological devices that are used primarily for
internal City communications and are not designed to surreptitiously
collect Surveillance Data, such as radios and email systems;
x.
Parking access and revenue control systems, including proximity card
readers and transponder readers at City- owned or controlled parking
garages; and
xi.
Card readers and key fobs used by City employees and other authorized
persons for access to City- owned or controlled buildings and property.
xii.
Cameras installed on City property solely for security purposes, including
closed circuit television cameras installed by the City to monitor
entryways and outdoor areas of City-owned or controlled buildings and
property for the purpose of controlling access, maintaining the safety of
City employees and visitors to City buildings, and protecting City
property;
xiii.
Security cameras including closed circuit television cameras installed by
the City to monitor cashiers’ windows and other cash-handling
operations and to maintain the safety of City employees and visitors to
such areas;
xiv.
Cameras installed solely to protect the physical integrity of City
infrastructure; or
xv.
Technology that monitors only City employees in response to complaints
of wrongdoing or in order to prevent waste, fraud, or abuse of City
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resources.
(C) The following situations are exceptions to the requirements of this Ordinance:
i.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Chapter, the Police Department
may temporarily acquire or temporarily use Surveillance Technology in
Exigent Circumstances for a period not to exceed 90-days without
following the provisions of this Chapter before that acquisition or use.
However, if the Police Department acquires or uses Surveillance
Technology in Exigent Circumstances under this Section, the Police
Commissioner must (1) report that acquisition or use to the City Council
in writing within 90 days following the end of those Exigent
Circumstances; (2) submit a Surveillance Technology Impact Report, and,
if necessary, a Technology-Specific Surveillance Use Policy to the City
Council regarding that Surveillance Technology within 90 days following
the end of those Exigent Circumstances; and (3) include that Surveillance
Technology in the Police Department's next Annual Surveillance Report to
the City Council following the end of those Exigent Circumstances. If the
Police Commissioner is unable to meet the 90-day timeline to submit a
Surveillance Technology Impact Report, and, if necessary, a Technology-
Specific Surveillance Use Policy to the City Council, the Police
Commissioner may notify the City Council in writing requesting to extend
this period. The City Council may grant extensions beyond the original 90-
day timeline to submit a Surveillance Technology Impact Report, and, if
necessary, a Technology-Specific Surveillance Use Policy. Any Surveillance
Technology Impact Report, and, if necessary, Technology-Specific
Surveillance Use Policy submitted to the City Council under this Section
shall be made publicly available upon submission to the City Council.
i.
ii. (1) Surveillance conducted pursuant to a warrant issued
by a judge under probable cause using previously
approved Surveillance Technology. Surveillance conducted
pursuant to a warrant using previously approved
Surveillance Technology to Exigent Circumstances under
this Section is excepted from the requirements of the
Annual Surveillance Report requirements under Section
1.6 where: i) the City is prohibited from publicly releasing
information pertaining to the surveillance under federal or
state law, or pursuant to a Court Order; or ii) the Police
Chief has determined that the release of information
pertaining to the surveillance would compromise public
safety and security, provided that the information is
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released in the next Annual Surveillance Report following
the Police Commissioner’s Chief’s determination that
public safety and security concerns pertaining to the
release of such information no longer exist.
ii.
(2)A A City department head may, with the approval of the
Mayor’s Office, apply a technical patch or upgrade that is necessary to
mitigate threats to the City’s environment. If the technical patch or
upgrade materially alters the surveillance capabilities of the technology,
TtThe department shall not use the new surveillance capabilities of the
technology until the requirements of Section 1.5 are met, unless the
Mayor, or his/her designee, determines that the use is unavoidable; in
that case, the Mayor shall request City Council approval as soon as
possible. The request shall include a report to the City Council of how the
altered surveillance capabilities were used since the time of the upgrade.
Section 1.4 Submission to the City Council of Surveillance Use Policy
(A) The Mayor shall submit to the City Council for its review and approval a proposed
Surveillance Use Policy applicable to each City department that possesses or uses
Surveillance Technology before the effective date of this Ordinance. or for future use
and acquisition of Surveillance Technology, no later than one-hundred eighty (180) days
following the effective date of this Chapter, for review and approval by the City Council.
If the Mayor is unable to meet this 180-day timeline, the Mayor may notify the City
Council in writing requesting to extend this period. The City Council may grant an
extension to the Mayor to submit a proposed Surveillance Use Policy. Any Surveillance
Use Policy submitted under Section 1.4 shall be made publicly available upon
submission to the City Councilno fewer than seven (7) calendar days prior to the date of
the Council meeting where it shall be discussed.
(B) A Surveillance Use Policy shall at a minimum specify the following:
i.
Purpose: The specific purpose(s) for the Surveillance Technology;
ii.
Authorized Use: The uses that are authorized, the rules and processes
required before that use, and the uses that are prohibited;
iii.
Data Collection: The Surveillance Data that can be collected by the
Surveillance Technology;
iv.
Data Access: The individuals who can access or use the collected
Surveillance Data, and the rules and processes required before access or
use of the information;
v.
Data Protection: The safeguards that protect information from
unauthorized access, including, but not limited to, encryption, access-
control, and access-oversight mechanisms;
vi.
Data Retention: The time period, if any, for which information collected
by the Surveillance Technology will be routinely retained, the reason that
retention period is appropriate to further the purpose(s), the process by
which the information is regularly deleted after that period has elapsed,
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and the conditions that must be met to retain information beyond that
period;
vii.
Public Access: If and how collected Surveillance Data can be accessed by
members of the public, including criminal defendants;
viii.
Third-Party Data-Sharing: If and how other City or non-City entities can
access or use the Surveillance Data, including any required justification
and legal standard necessary to do so, and any obligation(s) imposed on
the recipient of the Surveillance Data;
ix.
Training: The training, if any, required for any individual authorized to use
the Surveillance Technology or to access information collected by the
Surveillance Technology, including whether there are training materials;
and
x.
Oversight: The mechanisms to ensure that the Surveillance Use Policy is
followed, including, but not limited to, identifying personnel assigned to
ensure compliance with the policy, internal record keeping of the use of
the technology or access to information collected by the Surveillance
Technology, technical measures to monitor for misuse, any independent
person or entity with oversight authority, and the sanctions for violations
of the policy.
(C) In considering the Surveillance Use Policy, the City Council shall balance the
safeguarding of individuals’ right to privacy as well as the investigative and prosecutorial
function of the Police Department and promoting and ensuring the safety and security
of the general public.
Section 1.5 Submission to the City Council of Surveillance Technology Impact Report
and Technology-Specific Surveillance Use Policy
The Mayor’s Office must seek and obtain approval from the City Council as set forth in this
Section prior to the City seeking funds for, acquiring, using or entering into an agreement to
acquire, share or otherwise use, Surveillance Technology or Surveillance Data not previously
used by the City as defined in this Ordinance. The City may seek, but not accept, funds for
Surveillance Technology without approval from the City Council, provided that the City shall
notify the City Council of the funding application at the time it is submitted, and include in this
notification (i) the deadline of the funding opportunity, and (ii) details regarding the nature of
the Surveillance Technology for which funding is sought.
(A) Acquisition of Surveillance Technology by City Departments . Unless exempted or
excepted from the requirements of this Ordinance pursuant to section 1.3, any City
department intending to i) acquire new Surveillance Technology or Surveillance Data,
including but not limited to procuring that Surveillance Technology without the
exchange of monies or other consideration, or ii) using approved Surveillance
Technology or Surveillance Data for a purpose, in a manner, or in a location, not
previously approved, shall, prior to acquisition or use, obtain Council approval of the
acquisition or use. The process for obtaining approval shall be as follows:
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i.
The City department shall submit a Surveillance Technology Impact Report, and,
if necessary, a Technology-Specific Surveillance Use Policy, as described in
subsections 1.5B and 1.5C below, to the Mayor’s Office for review and approval.
ii.
If the request is approved by the Mayor’s Office, the Mayor’s office shall submit
the request, including copies of the City department’s Surveillance Technology
Impact Report and, if applicable, Technology-Specific Surveillance Use Policy, to
the City Council for review.
iii.
The City Council shall have thirtysixty (60 ) days, which shall not include June,
July, nor August, from the date of submission to approve or deny a request for
the acquisition of Surveillance Technology. If the City Council fails to approve or
deny the request within that time frame, the request shall be approved by
default.
iv.
Any Surveillance Technology approved by default under the provisions in
1.5(A)(iii) must be subsequently approved or rejected by the City Council during
the following Annual Report.
(A)(B)
Contents of Surveillance Technology Impact Report. A Surveillance Technology
Impact Report submitted pursuant to Subsections (A) above shall include all of the
following:
i.
Information describing the Surveillance Technology and how it works;
ii.
Information on the proposed purpose(s) for the Surveillance Technology;
iii.
Information describing the kind of surveillance the Surveillance
Technology is going to conduct and what Surveillance Data is going to be
gathered;
iv.
The location(s) it may be deployed and when;
v.
A description of the privacy and anonymity rights affected and a
mitigation plan describing how the department’s use of the equipment
will be regulated to protect privacy, anonymity, and limit the risk of
potential abuse.
vi.
The potential impact(s) on privacy in the City; the potential impact on the
civil rights and liberties of any individuals, communities or groups,
including, but not limited to, communities of color or other marginalized
communities in the City, and a description of whether there is a plan to
address the impact(s);
vii.
An estimate of the fiscal costs for the Surveillance Technology, including
initial purchase, personnel and other ongoing costs, and any current or
potential sources of funding; and
viii.
An explanation of how the Surveillance Use Policy will apply to this
Surveillance Technology and, if it is not applicable, a Technology-Specific
Surveillance Use Policy.
(C) Contents of Technology-Specific Surveillance Use Policy. A Technology Specific
Surveillance Use Policy shall be required if the purpose, authorized use, data collection,
data access, data protection, data retention, public access, third party data sharing,
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training, or oversight of the requested Surveillance Technology submitted under
Subsection (A) above differ from the standards in the Surveillance Use Policy submitted
under Section 1.4. A Technology Specific Surveillance Use Policy shall not conflict with
any provision of the City’s Surveillance Use Policy. To the extent a conflict arises
between the provisions of the City’s Surveillance Use Policy and a Technology-Specific
Surveillance Use Policy, the City’s Surveillance Use Policy shall govern. A Technology-
Specific Surveillance Use Policy submitted under Subsections (A) or (B) above or Section
1.4 below shall include all of the followingelements of the Surveillance Use Policy as
outlined in Section 1.4(B) i.-x.
(B)(D)
In approving , and/or disapproving any acquisition or use of Surveillance
Technology, the City Council shall consider the safeguarding of individuals’ right to
privacy as well as the investigative and prosecutorial functions of the Police Department
and promoting and ensuring the safety and security of the general public.
(C)(E)
Any Surveillance Technology Impact Report, and, if necessary, Technology-
Specific Surveillance Use Policy submitted to the City Council under Section 1.5(B) or
1.5(C) shall be made publicly available upon submission to the Council. no fewer than
seven (7) calendar days prior to the date of the Council meeting where it shall be
discussed.
Section 1.6 Submission to the City Council of Annual Surveillance Report
(A) Within twelve (12) months of City Council approvalthe effective date, and annually
thereafter, all City Departments must shall submit to the Mayor an Annual Surveillance
Report pertaining to each City Department for which approval for the use of request for
approval for the use acquisition of Surveillance Technology or Surveillance Data or
Surveillance Data that has been obtained submitted to and approved by the City Council
within the prior 12 months obtained under Section 1.5 of this Ordinance. Upon receipt
of such reports, the Mayor shall promptly submit them to the City Council. Any Annual
Surveillance Report submitted under this section shall be made publicly available upon
submission to the Councilno fewer than seven (7) calendar days prior to the date of the
Council meeting where it shall be discussed. .
(B) The Annual Surveillance Report submitted pursuant to this Section shall include all of
the following:
i.
A description of how the Surveillance Technology has been used,
including whether it captured images, sound, or information regarding
members of the public who are not suspected of engaging in unlawful
conduct;
ii.
Whether and how often data acquired through the use of the
Surveillance Technology was shared by with outside non-law
enforcement entitieslocal, state, and federal, the name of any recipient
entity, the type(s) of data disclosed, under what legal standard(s) the
information was disclosed, and the justification for the disclosure;
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Comment [KC1]: We are not ok with
annual reports about technologies approved
within the past 12 months. We want to have
a consistent, ongoing accounting of how ALL
surveillance technologies in Somerville are
used.
Comment [EF2]: Include some language
that includes the report in Section
1.3.(C).(ii) and if this can be made public or
not and why.
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Comment [KC3]: Crucial that this includes
law enforcement. Think ICE.
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iii.
A summary of community complaints or concerns about the Surveillance
Technology, if any;
iv.
The results of any non-privileged internal audits, any information about
violations of the Surveillance Use Policy, and any actions taken in
response unless it constitutes a personnel matter or otherwise implicates
a privacy interest;
v.
Whether the Surveillance Technology has been effective at achieving its
identified purpose;
vi.
Statistics The number ofon public records requests received by the City
seeking documents concerning Surveillance Technology approved during
the previous year;
vii.
An estimate of the total annual costs for the Surveillance Technology,
including personnel and other ongoing costs, and what source(s) of
funding will fund the technology in the coming year, if known; and
viii.
Whether the civil rights and liberties of any communities or groups,
including communities of color or other marginalized communities in the
City are disproportionately impacted by the deployment of the
Surveillance Technology.
ix.
A disclosure of any new agreements made in the past 12 months with
non-City entities that include to acquiringe, sharinge, or otherwise usinge
Surveillance Technology or the Surveillance Data it provides.
(C) Based upon information provided in the Annual Surveillance Report, the City Council
shall determine whether the benefits to the impacted City department(s) and the
community of the Surveillance Technology outweigh the financial and operational
costs and whether reasonable safeguards exist to address reasonable concerns
regarding privacy, civil liberties, and civil rights impacted by deployment of the
Surveillance Technology. If the benefits or reasonably anticipated benefits do not
outweigh the financial and/or operational costs or civil liberties or civil rights are not
reasonably safeguarded, the City Council may (1) recommend modifications to the
Surveillance Use Policy that are designed to address the City Council's concerns to the
Mayor for his consideration; and/or (2) request a report back from the Mayor
regarding steps taken to address the City Council's concerns; and/or (3) disapprove
further use of the Surveillance Technology.
(D) Nothing in this Ordinance shall prohibit the City Council from enacting a separate
Ordinance to ban or otherwise regulate any surveillance technology, whether
previously approved or not..
(C)
(D) No later than May 31 of each year, the City Council shall hold a meeting to discuss the
City departments’ Annual Surveillance Reports, and shall publicly release a report
that includes a summary of all requests for approval of Surveillance Technology
Impact Reports received by the City Council during the prior year pursuant to Section
1.3 or Section 1.4 of this Chapter, including whether the City Council approved or
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disapproved, or required modifications to of the Surveillance Technology. Impact
Report.
Section 1.7 Enforcement
(A) Enforcement Officials. This Ordinance shall be enforced by the Mayor’s Office or the
Mayor’s designee.
(B) Suppression: No data collected or derived from any use of face
surveillanceSurveillance Technology in violation of this ordinance and no evidence
derived therefrom may be received in evidence in any proceeding in or before any
department, officer, agency, regulatory body, legislative committee, or other
authority subject to the jurisdiction of the City of Somerville.
(C) Cause of Action: Any violation of this Ordinance constitutes an injury and any person
may institute proceedings for injunctive relief, declaratory relief, or writ of mandate
in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce this Ordinance. An action instituted
under this paragraph shall be brought against the City and, if necessary to effectuate
compliance with this Ordinance, any other governmental agency with possession,
custody, or control of data subject to this Ordinance.
(D) The City will address alleged violations of this ordinance in accordance with its usual
practices, applicable law and contractual obligations.
(E) Violation. Any person injured by a violation of this Ordinance may institute
proceedings for injunctive relief, declaratory relief, or a court order in a court of
competent jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of this Ordinance. Any action
initiated under this Subsection (B) shall be brought against the City of Somerville,
but not against City employees. No monetary damages shall be allowed in any legal
proceeding for any alleged injuries arising out of any alleged violation(s) of this
Ordinance.
(A)
(B)(F) Whistleblower Protections. Subject to the limitations and requirements set forth
in G. L. c. 149, §185 (the “Massachusetts Whistleblower Statute” or “Section 185”)
as it may be amended from time to time, any City employee as defined in Section
185 who reports an alleged violation of this Ordinance, shall be afforded protections
against retaliation if applicable pursuant to Section 185, as set forth in and subject to
the limitations and requirements of Section 185.
(C)(G) Nothing in this Ordinance shall be construed to limit or affect any individual’s
rights under state or federal laws.
Section 1.8 Severability
The provisions in this Ordinance are severable. If any part or provision of this Ordinance, or the
application of this Ordinance to any person or circumstance, is held invalid by a court of
competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Ordinance shall not be affected by such holding
and shall continue to have full force and effect.
Comment [KC4]: What’s the purpose of
this?
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Section 1.9 Effective Date
This Ordinance shall take effect nine months after its adoption.