Civil Rights Council reassigns and pauses several subcommittees as membership fluctuates

SACRAMENTO — With several vacancies and recent departures, the Civil Rights Council on April 3 adopted a set of revised subcommittee assignments and put certain subcommittees on pause until new appointees arrive.

Chair Gabriel Sandoval recited the adjustments in a public meeting: Helen Hong will assist on the Fair Housing technical cleanup; Julie Wolinski and others will continue work on the 11135 package; the Unruh Act subcommittee and reasonable‑accommodation for associational disabilities subcommittee were placed on pause; the hate‑violence subcommittee will be folded into the Community Education and Outreach Subcommittee; and a strategic planning subcommittee will be active to set priorities.

Council members discussed whether to staff subcommittees with one or two members while awaiting gubernatorial appointments. Some members argued for maintaining two members per subcommittee to enable robust deliberations within open‑meeting rules; others recommended leaving room for new appointees to join. Staff said they would support single‑member staffing temporarily where needed.

A motion to adopt the recited subcommittee reassignments passed by roll call, with Council Members Hong, Allude, Chair Sandoval and Walensky recorded as voting yes.

What happens next: Staff will upload and circulate the public comment letters and will reappear with a revised subcommittee list in future meeting materials as new appointments are made.