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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Prohibiting Violation of Individual's Rights, Hate Crimes ORDINANCE NO. 3086 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA, BY REPEALING SECTION 17.5 THERE- OF AND ENACTING A NEW SECTION 17.5 PROHIBITING VIO- LATIONS OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S RIGHTS; PROVIDING A PENALTY; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; ESTABLISHING A PENALTY AND SETTING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ORDAINED, by the City Council for the City of Ames, Iowa that: Section One. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa shall be and the same is hereby amended by repealing Section 17.5 thereof and adopting a new Section 17.5 as follows: "17.5 PROHIBITING VIOLATIONS OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S RIGHTS -- PENALTIES (1) Persons within the City of Ames have the right to be free from any violence, or intimidation by threat of violence, committed against their persons or property because of their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, or sex, sexual orientation, age, or disability. (2) A person, who acts alone, or who conspires with another person or persons, . to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate or interfere with any citizen in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to that person by the constitution or laws of the United States, and assembles with one or more persons for the purpose of teaching or being instructed in any technique or means capable of causing property damage, bodily injury or death when the person or persons intend to employ those techniques or means in furtherance of the conspiracy, is on conviction, guilty of a misdemeanor. A person intimidates or interferes with another person if the act of the person results in any of the following: (a) Physical injury to the other person. (b) Physical damage to or destruction of the other person's property. (c) Communication in a manner, or action in a manner, intended to result in either of the following: (i) To place the other person in fear of physical contact which will be injurious, insulting, or offensive, coupled with the apparent ability to execute the act. (ii) To place the other person in fear of harm to the other person's property, or harm to the person or property of a third person. (iii) A person who maliciously and intentionally intimidates or interferes with another person because of that person's race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, age, or disability and while doing so commits any of the following acts, is guilty of a misdemeanor: a. Commits an assault, as defined in Section 708.1, Code of Iowa, upon that person or a third person. b. Commits an act of criminal mischief, as defined in Section 716.1, Code of Iowa, upon that person or a third person. (iv) The fact that a person committed a crime or attempted to commit a crime, because of the victim's race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, age, or disability, shall be considered a circumstance in aggravation of said offense in imposing sentence and fine. Evidence of such fact includes, but is not limited to, the burning of crosses and other symbols, and a rebuttable presumption of the fact arises where such an act is shown to have been committed. (v) This section does not make unlawful the teaching of any technique in self-defense. (vi) This section does not make unlawful any activity of any of the following officials or persons: a. Law enforcement officials of this or any other jurisdiction while engaged in the lawful performance of their official duties. 2 b. Federal officials required to carry firearms while engaged in the lawful performance of their official duties. C. Members of the armed forces of the United States or the national guard while engaged in the lawful perfor- mance of their official duties. d. Any conservation commission, law enforcement agency, or any agency licensed to provide security services, or any hunting club, gun club, shooting range, or other organization or entity whose primary purpose is to teach the safe handling or use of firearms, archery equip- ment, or other weapons or techniques employed in connection with lawful sporting or other lawful activity. (vii) This section shall not be construed to establish any new category of individual rights not currently protected by the laws of this sate or federal law, or to enlarge, diminish, or impair any right guaranteed by the laws of this state or federal law." Section Two. Any and all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict. Section Three. Violation of the provisions of this ordinance shall constitute a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $100 or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days. Section Four. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and publication as required by law. Passed this 2Eth day of June 1990. Na cy Dio ' i, City Clerk Larry Curtis, Mayor 0121 3