There is established in the City a Human Rights Commission. The Commission will be staffed by the Office of Equity and Human Rights. The Commission will consist of 11 to 15 members. All members will serve without compensation. Appointments are for staggered terms of three years. No member may serve more than two consecutive three-year terms. When a vacancy occurs, a Human Rights Commission workgroup – after consultation with the Equity Officer – nominates, the Mayor appoints, and the Council confirms, a member to fill the vacancy. This same process will be used when an interim vacancy occurs to appoint a member to fill the balance of the unexpired term. Members will be appointed by the Mayor so as to provide representation from a reasonably broad spectrum of the community, including without limitation the following factors:  areas of expertise, advocacy experience, community involvement, profession, education, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion and geographic identification. Members must live, work, worship or be enrolled in school within the City. Members are encouraged to establish constructive relationships with each member of Council, the Auditor and other elected officials. The Mayor may remove a member from the Commission at any time, with the recommendation of the Commission and subject to approval by the Council.

The Human Rights Commission will work to eliminate discrimination and bigotry, to strengthen intergroup relationships and to foster greater understanding, inclusion and justice for those who live, work, study, worship, travel and play in the City. In doing so, the Human Rights Commission will be guided by the principles embodied in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and by the Portland Plan Equity initiative. The Human Rights Commission must report at least annually to the Council on the activities of the Human Rights Commission (to include any subcommittees or task forces as may be established) on the progress of the Commission and any recommendations to the Council for further action.

The jurisdiction of the Commission will include all practices and incidents occurring in the City which affect people who live, work, study, worship, travel or play in the City. The Commission will have jurisdiction to address such practices and incidents through education, research, advocacy and/or intervention, but will not have civil rights enforcement authority.