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Home My WebLink About2011_0228_CharterAgendaPacket Sherman Siraisi Chair . Members: ov Mary Lou Barela Patrick Stack, Vice Chair Joel Guy Carol Suzawa Jan TenBruggencate Ed Justus COUNTY OF KAUAI CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA. Monday, February 28, 2011 4:00 p.m. or shortly thereafter Mo'ikeha Building, Meeting Room 2 4444 Rice Street, LThu'e, HI 96766 Oath of O.1ice for Conimissioner°Patrick Stack CALL, TO ORDER APPROVAL OF AGENDA APPROVAL OF MINUTES Open Session Minutes of January 24, 2011 BUSINESS CRC 2011-01 Discussion and decision-making on proposing a Charter amendment to correct non-substantive items as they relate to grammar, spelling and formatting errors in the Charter(on-going discussion from 1124111) a) Review of and decision-making on proposed Press Release seeking public input on procedures to correct non-substantive items as they relate to grammar, spelling and formatting errors in the Charter b) Guide for Charter Review consideration as it relates to gender inclusive language provided by Ms. Carol Bain CRC 2011-02 Discussion and possible decision-making on changing the required voter percentages For either or both Section 24.01 B (Charter Amendments by petition signed by 5% of registered voters) and Section 22.03 C (Initiative&: Referendum by 20%of registered voters) of the Kauai County Charter. a) Comparison chart of signature requirements by County for Charter Amendments and Initiative Petitions Charter Review Commission February 28, 2011 Page 2 NEXT MEETING Monday, March 28, 2011 — Regular Meeting 4:00 pin— Meeting Room 2A,/2B, Mo'lkeha Building ADJOURNMENT NOTICE OF EXECUTIVE SESSION Pursuant to Section 92-7(a), Hawai'i Revised Statutes (FIRS) the Commission may, when deemed necessary, hold an executive session on any agenda item without written public notice if the executive session was not anticipated in advance. Any such executive session shall be held pursuant to Section 92-4, HRS and shall be limited to those items described in Section 92-5(a), HRS. cc: Deputy County Attorney Jennifer Winn PUBLIC COMMENTS and TESTIMONY Persons wishing to offer comments are encouraged to submit written testimony at least 24-hours prior to the meeting indicating: 1. Your name and if applicable, your position/title and organization you are representing; 2. The agenda item that you are providing comments on; and 3. Whether you will be testifying in person or submitting written comments only; and 4. If you are unable to submit your testimony at least 24 hours prior to the meeting, please provide 10 copies of your written testimony at the meeting clearly indicating the name of the testifier; and 5. If testimony is based on a proposed Charter amendment, list the applicable Charter provision. While every effort will be made to copy, organize, and collate all testimony received, materials received on the day of the meeting or improperly identified may be distributed to the members after the meeting is concluded. The Charter Commission rules limit the length of time allocated to persons wishing to present verbal testimony to five (5) minutes. A speaker's time may be limited to three(3) minutes if, in the discretion of the chairperson or presiding member, such limitation is necessary to accommodate all persons desiring to address the Commission at the meeting. Charter Review Commission February 28, 21011 Page 3 Send written testimony to: Charter Review Commission Attn: Barbara Davis Office of Boards and Commissions 4444 Rice Street, Suite 150 Lihu*e, HI 96766 E-mail:b(flaviii s(i(IiIauai-,,,,.()v Phone: 241-4919 Fax: (808) 241-5127 SPECIAL ASSISTANCE If you need an alternate format or an auxiliary aid to participate, please contact the Boards and Commissions Support Clerk at (808) 241-4919 at least five (5) working days prior to the I meeting. DIRjA�F�T T� B10 Au,�111,11'rio COUNTY OF KAUAI Minutes of Meeting OPEN SESSION Board/Committee: CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION Meeting Date January 24, 20 11 11 Location 'ikeha Building, Meeting Room 2A/2B Start of Session: 4:05 pm End of Session: 5:03 pm Present –W—embers: Sherman Shiraishi, Patrick Stack, Carol Suzawa, Jan TenBruggencate, Joel Guy, Ed Justus Also: Deputy County Attorney Jennifer Winn, Secretary Barbara Davis, Boards & Commissions Aide Paula Morikami Audience Members: Ken Taylor, Glenn Mickens, Carol Bain, Rich Hoeppner, Rob Abrew, John Hoff Excused Member: Mary Lou Barela Absent 7� SUBJECT DISC USSION ACTION —----- County Clerk Peter Nakamura administered the Oath of Office to Edgar Justus prior to the called to order. Call To Order Chair Shiraishi welcomed Ed Justus as a new member of the Commission and called the meeting to order at 405 Pm with 6 members present Approval kl� Ms. Suzawa moved for approval of the agenda as Agenda circulated, Mr. TenBruggencate seconded the Motion carried 6:0 Approval o-C-bpiii�§6ssion Minutes of December 13, 2010 Minutes Ms. Davis said that Mr. Mickens had pointed out a typo on page 2 which listed the next meeting date as January 23 instead of the correct date of January 24 Mr. TenBruggencate moved to approve the minutes of December 13 as circulated but with the stated correction. Motion was seconded and carried 6:0 .......... Business CRC 2011-01 Discussion and decision-making on proposing a Charter amendment to correct non-substantive items related to grammar, spelling and formatting errors in the Charter Mr, TenBruggencate said the Commission needs to work on cleaning up non- substantial errors in the Charter over the next 1 '12 years in order to place this as one item on the ballot which could correct those errors. The review method could be to 1) appoint a sub-committee to the task or; 2) to review the Charter during regular scheduled meetings or; 3) to assign a separate section to different Commission member(s). It was noted part of this review would include gender-neutral language. Attorney Winn pointed out there is already a section in the Charter that addresses gender bygnoti that"he" refers to both genders. Mr, Stack suggested hininq a co CA Charter Review Commission Open Session January 24, 2011 Page 2 SUBJECT DISCUSSION professional editor to edit the Charter and to bring it in step with current and acceptable terms and usage of gender. Mr. Justus asked if formatting would include reorganizing the amendments into their applicable sections. Mr. Guy felt as a volunteer he would be leery to have the Commission tasked with crossing the"tees"and handling the housekeeping projects. It was further suggested that perhaps the County Council could assist with the corrections but Chair Shiraishi pointed out that the County Council by itself cannot enact amendments to the Charter; the Council can propose amendments to the Charter which have to be submitted to the voters for approval. Mr. TenBruggencate suggested holding a public hearing in connection with the next Commission meeting so the public can provide their thoughts on non-substantive issues in the Charter, whether grammatical, gender-related or anything else, and further suggested that the Commission ask Mr, Isobe and the Staff to determine if there is a budget to hire a professional to make the appropriate changes for a corrected Charter to be presented back to the public. Chair Shiraishi said the public is invited to testify at any meeting on any item on the agenda; this matter will be on the agenda for a number of meetings. Mr. Justus moved that the Commission explore the matter of how much can be budgeted for a professional editor. Mr. TenBruggencate seconded the motion, Mr. Justus amended his motion to include a request that the Staff send out a press release or some sort of public information saying that the Charter Commission will be welcoming comments at the next CRC meeting on procedures to correct non- substantive items in the Charter, Mr. Carol Bain—supported correcting non-substantive changes to the Charter and TenBruggencate amended his second. volunteered to seek out a guide for gender-neutral wording and send it to the CRC Staff. She also felt Kaua'i had qualified people capable of making the corrections to the Charter. Glenn Mickens—asked who is responsible for the wording on a ballot measure. Although not an agenda item, Chair Shiraishi replied that Staff and the County Attorney consider public input before providing the wording to the Commission for their final approval. Ken Taylor—Section 24.03 A of the Charter says that unless a new Charter is submitted to voters each amendment to the Charter shall be voted on separately. The Charter Review Commission Open Session January 24, 2011 Page 3 B DISCUSSION —---------- ACTION Commission should request a written opinion from the Attorney clarifying whether or not making all of these changes would require each individual change to be listed individually on the ballot versus lumped together. If this moves forward, a professional editor or leqa�ers�qr shq�od 9 oq� d-by- _d'R62_0_1_1-02 Discussion and possible decision-making on changing the percent of yqrjh�Charter wor Motion carried 6:0 registered voter signatures required on a petition to propose amendments to the Charter as provided for in Section 24.01 B, Kaua'i County Charter Section 24.01 B allows for Charter amendments to be proposed by a petition signed by not less than 5% of the voters registered in the last general election and Mr. TenBruggencate said his concern was that it takes fewer signatures to launch a Charter amendment than to launch an initiative and yet the Charter is a more substantive document in our society than a piece of legislation. Mr. TenBruggencate said he had not come to a conclusion as to whether the signature count for initiative and referendum should be dropped or whether the initiative signature count for Charter amendments should be increased or brought to the same level or if there is some other solution noting that it seemed inappropriate that it was easier in to change the Charter, the basic document under which we operate our government, than to place a piece of legislation on the ballot. Ms. Suzawa agreed that the 5% requirement for amendments was a very low amount and she supported what Mr. TenBruggencate was trying to bring forth but sometimes the text of a proposed amendment brought forward by petition contradicted another section of the Charter which created difficulty for this County to implement. Do the other methods of getting something on the ballot go through the same process that the Commission employs to ensure that the language is correct without changing the intent? Rich Hoeppner–The voters make the decision on whether a Charter amendment passes. To raise the percentage of registered voters required to get a petition on the ballot you might as well eliminate the public which is one of three ways to get an amendment on the ballot. Chair Shiraishi said part of the discussion would be whether to lower the percentage for referendum. Glenn Mickens–was in agreement with Mr. Hoeppner. Lowering the number of signatures needed from the public would make citizen participation in their government more attractive; Mr. Mickens would endorse reducing the amount of signatures required for the public to place an item on the ballot to 3% since the public has only placed 2 issues on the ballot in the past 30 years. Mr. Stack asked if the percentage was reduced to 1%, would this not create a lot of frivolous proposals. Mr. Mickens said he did not want frivolous thi 1ngs brought before the Commission but thought Charter Review Commission Open Session January 24, 2011 Page 4 SUBJECT _. _ --. ____ _.__ DISCUSSION ACTION signatures of even 3% of the registered voters was still a difficult job. Ken Taylor—pointed out that there is a very big difference between Initiative and Referendum and §24.01 on the agenda which changes the Charter by amendment. Public petitions have to be looked over by the Attorney's office and the Clerk of the Council's office so if there is a conflict within that document it should be picked up at that point and the changes necessary to correct the conflict before moving forward to gather the signatures. If the Commission wants to look at making changes they should look at dropping the 20% in §22.01 and consider dropping to 3% for§24.01 but he would not recommend gong there since it is very clear it has not been abused. It is not a discrepancy between §22.01 and §24.01; it was put there to keep the public from constantly requesting changes to ordinances and activities of the day-to-day operations. Rob Abrew—There has not been a problem or abuse with §24.01 so why even think about changing it. Chair Shiraishi explained that this agenda item may be confusing and that the agenda for the next meeting should refer to §24.01 and §22.01. Public testimony seems to be that we should not increase the percentage requirements for Charter amendments but look at possibly decreasing the voter requirements for Initiative and Referendum. Mr. Justus understood from the public testimony that it may not be necessary to lower the percentage for§22.01 with the main concern being that the percentage for§24.01 not be raised higher. John Hoff—voiced his opposition to raising the 5% level for§24.01 since it is hard enough to get people involved in politics and interested in what is going on in the islands. He would go along with the idea of dropping the percentage for Initiatives and Referendums. It would not be a frivolous action to make them all 5%. Mr. TenBruggencate parenthetically noted that(Kaua'i) is the only County in which it is easier to change the Charter than to propose an initiative. Mr. TenBruggencate moved to defer CRC 2011-02 to the February meeting and include a discussion of Mr. TenBruggencate clarified that it was not his intent to increase the percentage for Section 22. Motion seconded. Motion carried 6:0 Section 24 but rather to hear what the public has to say. Ms. Suzawa asked the County Attorney to provide a comparison showing what percentages the other Counties __require, _ _.__. GRC 2011 03 Memorandum dated 1114/2011 from Leonard Rapozo, Jr., Director of Charter Review Commission Open Session January 24, 2011 Page 5 SUBJECT DISCUSSION ------- ACTION Parks and Recreation, rescinding the request for the Charter Review Commission to ------ consider amending Article XIII, Section 13,03 and Article XXXI, Section 31.03 relating to the transfer of Building Maintenance from the Department of Public Works to the Department of Parks and Recreation Mr. TenBruggencate moved to accept the memorandum. Mr. Justus seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 Next Meeting Monday, February 28, 2011 Chair Shiraishi asked the Commissioners to contact Ms. Davis or him directly with any Placed on an nda. Adjournment Mr. TenBruggencate moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:03 pm. Ms. Suzawa seconded the motion. Motion carried 6:0 Submitted by: Reviewed and Approved by: Barbara Davis, Secretary Sherman Shiraishi, dhair ______ Approved as is. Approved with amendments. See minutes of meeting, BERNARD P. CARVALHO,JR. GARY K. HEU Mayor Managing Director COUNTY OF KAUAI News Release For Immediate Release: To be determined Public input sought by Charter Review Commission LIHUE —Tasked with studying and reviewing the County Charter, members of the Charter Review Commission are asking for input from the public on procedures to correct non- substantive items in the Charter that relate to grammar, spelling and formatting errors. The deadline to submit comments on this matter is Monday, March 21, 2011. "We will be discussing corrections to non-substantive items in the Charter at our next meeting on March 28, and encourage the public to provide comment," said Commission Chair Sherman Shiraishi. He noted that the commission plans to use this information for developing a proposed charter amendment for the 2012 General Election. Other members of the commission include: Patrick Stack, vice-chair; Mary Lou Barella; Joel Guy; Ed Justus; Carol Suzawa; and Jan TenBruggencate, Suggested non-substantive changes can be submitted in writing to the Charter Review Commission, at 4444 Rice Street, Suite 150, Uhu'e HI, 96766. Information on Charter commission meetings, hearings, agendas, minutes and documents is available on the county website, or at the Office of Boards and Commissions located at the Uhu'e Civic Center, Mo'ikeha Building, Suite 150, Commission meetings are held monthly. The next meeting is scheduled on Monday, March 28, 4 pm, at the Uhu'e Civic Center, Mo'ikeha Building, conference rooms 2A and 2B. CRC 2011-01 a] For more information or to request additional support or an auxiliary aid for the meeting, please contact Barbara Davis at 241-4919 or via email: O' daxis C—kauai MIN, ftft Barbara Davis From: cdbain( Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 4:15 AM To: Barbara Davis Cc: Jan Subject: guide for Charter Review consideration Attachments: gender—inclusive_pol icy.pdf Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Flagged Categories: Important Barbara, Please see attached guide. Though written for UK, it is spot on for what is needed for our Kaua'i Charter. See pages 14 & 15 specifically regarding he/his/him, etc. The first part of the guide is not directly applicable, though may be interesting reading. I am ec'ing Jan as he is the only commission member whose email addy I know. As a journalist, Jan may enjoy the examples below. At the CRC meeting this week, Chair Shiraishi asked if I was volunteering for the task of revising the Charter for gender inclusive language. If this work is not completed within 9 months of the next election, I would volunteer time for that specific task in order to get it ready for voter decision as a ballot item. Gender-inclusive language addresses and includes women and men. As well as being a sign of equal treatment and respect, it is also a means for such treatment and respect. Rationale Proponents of gender-neutral language argue that the use of gender-specific language often implies male superiority or reflects an unequal state of society. Words that refer to women often devolve in meaning, frequently taking on sexual overtones; for example, the word "mistress", once a title of honor, now denotes a man's lover, or a "kept" woman.L31 These differences in usage are criticized on two grounds: one, that they reflect a biased state of society,L f4 and two, that they help to uphold that state. Studies of children, for instance, indicate that the words children hear affect their perceptions of the gender-appropriateness of certain careers. Other research has demonstrated that men and women apply for jobs in more equal proportions when gender-neutral language is used in the advertisement, as opposed to the generic "he" or "man".L`! Some critics make the further claim that these differences in usage are not accidental, but have been deliberately created for the purpose of upholding a patriarchal society.''I Proponents of gender-neutral language give many examples of usages that they find problematic. Proponents of gender-neutral job titles believe they should be used, especially when referring to hypothetical persons. For example,firefighter instead of fireman, mail carrier, letter carricr. or past worker rather than mailman;.flight attendant instead of stei-vard or steivardess, bartender instead of barman or barmaid. In the rare case where no useful gender-neutral alternative is available, they believe both genders should be used. Proponents of gender-neutral language advocate the use of a neuter form when/where appropriate. For example, a company may seek to fill a vacancy and hire a new chairperson. Since a gendered individual doesn't currently 1 CRC 2011-0161 hold the position, its title reverts to a neuter form. Once that position is filled, advocates believe gender can be attached to the title as appropriate(chairman or chairwoman). Sometimes this formulation can lead to hyper-correcting gender-specific usage, in which women become chairpersons but men remain chairmen. Some women opt to use the word chairman in preference to ehairi,voman, subject to the style Madam or Mister prefixing,the title, which they perceive to be gender-neutral by itself. Particularly in academia, the word Chair is often used to describe the person occupying the chair. al.html The generic "he" Using the pronoun "he"to mean "he and she" is no longer acceptable. Fortunately, the generic "he" can be 9 1_1� avoided in many ways. Here are strategies and examples, including some borrowed from The Bias-Free Word 3 Finder: A Dictionary of'.N7ondiscriminatory Language' I-and Thbiased: Editing in a Diverse Society • Re-write your sentence in the pural. • Biased: "Everyone is a genius at least once a year; a real genius has his original ideas closer together." (G.C. Lichtenberg) • Improved: "Everyone is a genius at least once a year; real geniuses have their original ideas closer together." • Turn the sentence around. ■ Biased: A good journalist knows that he should strive for accuracy. • Improved: Accuracy is an important goal for a good journalist. • Use the second person. • Biased: Every student should store his belongings in the locker provided. • Improved: Students, please store your belongings in the locker provided. • Recast the sentence or phrase in the passive voice. • Biased: "Pessimist: One who, when he has the choice of two evils, chooses both." (Oscar Wilde) ■ Improved: "Pessimist: One who, when given the choice of two evils, chooses both." • Substitute an infinitive(in this case, "to strive"). • Biased: A good student knows that he should strive for excellence. • Improved: A good student knows to strive for excellence. Or, A good student strives for excellence. • Omit the pronoun altogether. • Biased: A good juror relies, to some degree, on his common sense. • Improved: A good juror relies, to some degree, on common sense. • Replace the masculine pronoun with an article. ■ Biased: "Can't a critic give his opinion of an omelette without being asked to lay an egg9" (Clayton Rawson) • Improved: "Can't a critic give an opinion of an omelette without being asked to lay an eggT> • Replace the pronoun with words like someone, anyone, one, no one. • Biased: "He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever." (Chinese proverb) ■ Improved: "Anyone who asks is a fool for five minutes, but one who does not ask remains a fool forever." • Use he and she, or his or her(but only as a last resort, as this can get cumbersome!). • Biased: "Only a mediocre person is always at his best." (W Somerset Alaugham) 2 • Improved: "Only a mediocre person is always at his or her best." The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language,4f Edition. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000.) p. 1061 I ' Maggio, Rosalie. The Bias-Free Word Finder: A Dictionary of Nondiscriminatory Language. (Boston: Beacon Press, 1991.) 3 Wissner-Gross, Elizabeth. Unbiased: Editing in a Diverse Society. (Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press, 1999.) Carol Bain 3 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT A GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE POLICY This document is to be submitted to the Government Office for the South East Jean Wright Page 1 1510712003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT An Introduction to Gender-inclusive Language Guiding Principles of Gender-inclusive Analysis ❖ An Introduction to Gender-inclusive Language The Policy ❖ The Principles 1. Equal Treatment and Respect for Women 2. Equality of Opportunity in the Workplace 3. Clarity of Expression ❖ This Guide Women and Men as Equals ❖ Equal Treatment 1. Parallel Language 2. Word Order 3. Women as Individuals 4. Feminine Suffixes ❖ Equal Respect Girl(s), Lasses and Ladies 1. Biased Terms 2. Making Assumptions 3. Terms of Endearment ❖ Forms of Address 1. General Rules 2. Ms., Mrs., Miss, and Mr. 3. Marital Status 4. Professional Titles 5. Writing to People You Do Not Know 6. Writing to More than One Person 7. Circulating a Document ❖ False Generics ❖ Man/He 1. Man 2. Chairman/Chair 3. He, His and Him A. Use the plural B. Eliminate personal pronouns c. Use she or he/she or she D. Use you/your E. Use one F. Use a gender-inclusive synonym G. Rewrite the sentence ❖ Non-Written Materials ❖ Visual Communication ❖ Audio-Oral Communication Joan Wright Page 2 15/07/2003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT Guiding Principles of Gender-inclusive Analysis Every government policy/programme has a human impact. Women make up over 50% of the population. Therefore, all government policies/programmes impact women and men. Women and men in UK society have different roles, different access to resources and benefits, and different responsibilities. As a result, policies/programmes affect them differently. Women are not a homogenous group. The needs, interests and concerns of young women, older women, women with disabilities and black and minority ethnic women will differ, as will the needs of men from these groups. Policies, programmes and legislation must endeavour to create equal outcomes for men and women. Equal outcomes will not result from treating everyone the same. Proactive measures are necessary to overcome systemic bias. In other words, if you want everyone to have the same opportunity to cross the finish line, you must recognise that not everyone has the same starting line, and make allowances for those differences. Policies, programmes and legislation that provide a 'level playing field' for women and men benefit society as a whole. Conversely, policies and programmes that produce unequal outcomes are ultimately costly for government and society. Policy and programme developers bring their own biases to their work, according to their gender, cultures, education, economic status, and other factors. Knowledge and good intentions will reduce, but not eliminate those biases. In order to create policies and programmes that respond to the diversity of women and men in the UK, policy and programme developers must consult with the women and men who will be affected by those policies/programmes. Women in UK society— particularly women with disabilities and women from black and minority ethnic groups—do not have economic equality with men and are under-represented in decision-making processes. Therefore, special measures must be implemented to ensure their voices are heard. Gender-neutral vs. gender-inclusive analysis: Suppose you are looking at a proposed legislative option that would give women and men equal legal responsibility for child support. From a gender- neutral perspective, such a proposal appears to treat women and men as equals. However, a gender-inclusive analysis would recognise that such a proposal would have a discriminatory effect on women, since statistics show that most women are not financially equal to their partners, Joan Wright Page 3 1510712003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT An Introduction to Gender-inclusive Language Gender-inclusive language addresses and includes women and men. As well as being a sign of equal treatment and respect, it is also a means for such treatment and respect. The Policy [it is a policy of the Government for the South East that gender-inclusive language be used in all government communications—written, visual and oral.] The Principles 1. Equal Treatment and Respect for Women Women participate everywhere in our society. Language, the basic tool of communication, is changing to reflect this participation. However, sexual stereotypes, demeaning references and words that exclude women are still found in everyday speech and in workplace communications. Such language is incompatible with the goal of gender equality. To be truly equal, women must be seen and heard to be equal. By eliminating language that misrepresents, excludes or offends women, the gender- inclusive language policy will help government lead the way to gender equality throughout the workforce of the South East. 2. Equality of Opportunity in the Workplace With the increased participation of women in the workplace, one might assume that the barriers to their full participation, in getting jobs and winning promotions, have been removed. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Gender bias in communications still exists, serving to reinforce attitudes that limit the acceptance of women as equal participants. [The government endorses a gender-inclusive language policy to remove this barrier and support its commitment to employment equity.] 3. Clarity of Expression Some words and phrases do not convey what people intend to communicate. Some give offence, others are simply open to misinterpretation. Gender-inclusive language includes women and accurately reflects their contributions. [The government's gender-inclusive language policy will, therefore, help to ensure clarity and help us say what we mean.] Joan Wright Page 4 15/07/2003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT THIS GUIDE This guide is designed for all sectors of the South East. It contains information about gender-inclusive language and advice on how to eliminate gender bias from our written, spoken visual and audio communications. Of course. no guide can answer every language question. Let your day-to- day communication choices be guided by three principles: equal treatment and respect for women, equality of opportunity in the workplace, and clarity of expression. WOMEN AND MEN AS EQUALS One of the underlying principles of gender-inclusive language is that women and men are equals. Equals, of course, deserve equal treatment and equal respect. In language, this equality takes the form of parallel word choices for both men and women, and the elimination of terms that exclude stereotype or demean women. The following sections discuss ways we can avoid language that discriminates against women. Some forms of this discrimination are obvious and need little explanation, others are more subtle. But all forms of discriminatory language contribute to attitudes that reinforce barriers—both visible and invisible—to the full and equal participation of women in society and in the workforce. EQUAL TREATMENT Whenever you write or speak, strive for overall gender balance. Remember that your audience is made up of both women and men, so address each gender equally. 1. Parallel Language Be consistent. Use parallel or symmetric language when referring to different sexes at the same time or to individuals. Instead of Use Men and ladies Men and women/women and men Man and wife Wife and husband/husband and wife Mr. Bates and Jane Robert and Jane; Mr. Bates and Ms Elliott, Bates and Elliott ,i Ms. Jane Elliott and Robert Bates Jane Elliott and Robert Bates; Ms. Jane Elliott and Mr. Robert Bates Joan Wright Page 5 15/07/2003 GUIDE TO POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT 2. Word Order /\km8ys putting nleO first in such phrases as men and women, buvn and girls, heOrshe, his and hers, male and female gives the impression that women are afterthoughts or somehow less important than men. Alternate the word order in phrases like these, so that neither X women nor men always go first. Rather than ladies and gentlemen, use generic terms that favour neither sex and more accurately reflect the purpose ofthe gathering Ormeeting. Examples are colleagues, deAaD@t8f, or members of the association. %. Women amIndividuals Women are often portrayed in relationship to others rather than as individuals. Avoid identifying ovvornan as somebody's wife, vvidOvx. [Dother, grandmother or aunt unless itis appropriate in context and you describe men similarly. Not Dr John Adarns, a medical consultant with the Ministry of Health, and his colleague 8WSaO J0DSS. married to William Jones, also of the Ministry of Health, recently published a paper on... But [J[ Susan Jones and Dr John Adams, medical consultants with the Ministry of Health, recently published a paper 0n... Not Harry Baker works for the Construction Industry Training Board. His co- worker, N3nCy, is married with two children. But Harry Baker and Nancy Walker both work for the Construction Industry Training Board. Harry's wife, Abbey, is a solicitor, and Nancy's husband, Bill Walker is 8 policy analyst for the Board. 4. Feminine Suffixes The addition Of the feminine suffixes—8Gs. -ette. and—triX reinforces the notion that generic nouns are male, while female nouns are something less, Orat least different. Generic nouns, like those i0 the right-hand column, should be used for both women and men. 1 Instead of Use Actress Actor Aviatrix Aviator Executrix Executor Manageress Manager [Sculptress Sculptor Stewardess Flig it attendant Usherette Usher Waitress rver Joan Wright Page 1507/2003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT EQUAL RESPECT Some language reflects a lack of respect for women that serves to trivialise or demean their accomplishments. This language also creates stereotypes that can confuse, offend and alienate your audience and your co-workers. 1. Girl(s), Lasses and Ladies The term girl is never appropriate in the workplace, unless you are referring to a minor, or a child. Not The girl at the reception desk will be able to answer your questions, But Our receptionist will be able to answer your questions; Anne Miller at the reception desk will be able to answer your questions. Never refer to adult women as girls, lasses or ladies in situations where you would call men. Woman is the equivalent of man; women is the equivalent for men. Not Please make sure that both staff members in the library get a copy. I can't remember their names, but one is a lady and one is a man. But Please make sure that both staff members in the library get a copy. I can't remember their names, but one is a woman the one is a man. Do not use lady, woman or female as adjectives—as in lady doctor, woman solicitor, woman driver, or female Secretary of State— unless gender is relevant. Remember that language can also stereotype men, as in male nurse. Not The lady barrister and the prosecutor agreed to drop the case. But The barrister and the prosecutor agreed to drop the case. If gender is relevant, use the noun woman, as There are no women law lords and only 37 circuit judges out of a total of 492, or the adjective female, as in The government has appointed three females to the Court of Appeal Judges. Avoid using female as a noun except in technical writing, such as sociological studies, medical data, or police reports, e.g., The police arrested two males and three females. 1. Biased Terms A biased term is a word or phrase that promotes a preconceived opinion or prejudice, Like girl, lass, and lady,- the following biased terms should be avoided. Joan Wright Page 7 1510712003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT Instead of Use Career woman Professional; executive; businessperson; businesswoman (appropriate only if gender is relevant) [Check-out girl Cashier: clerk Cleaning lady Cleaner; housekeeper; janitor Co-ed Student Girl FridaV Assistant; secretary Housemother Houseparent Kelly Girl Office temporary; temporary assistant Meter maid Meter attendant Salesgirl, saleslady Sales clerk: sales representative, salesperson; saleswoman (approp iate if only gender is relevant) Spinster Woman; unmarried woman (if marital status is relevant) 2. Making Assumptions Avoid words and phrases that make assumptions about gender: Not Conference delegates and their wives are invited to attend the breakfast meeting. But Conference delegates and their spouses are invited to attend the breakfast meeting. Avoid words and phrases that make assumptions about how women think or look, such as feminine intuition, the fair sex, the little woman, or the weaker sex. Avoid words and phrases that make assumptions about how women behave, such as describing a man as aggressive or assertive, while a woman is strident, shrill or bitchy; and stereotypical terms and phrases like the better half,just like a man, masculine drive, women's work, manfully, manly or ladylike. 3. Terms of Endearment Terms of endearment, such as dear, love, honey, sweetie, darling are inappropriate in professional relationships. FORMS OF ADDRESS Figuring out how to address women today, either in letters or in person, can be confusing. Women are moving into positions that have traditionally been held by men; some women are choosing to keep their own names after Joan Wright Page 8 15/0712003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT marriage; others prefer to be addressed as Ms, even when they have chosen to take their husband's surname. In the past, when a woman named Janet Vedrody married a man named Ed Schmidt, she automatically took his name and became Mrs Ed Schmidt. Today this practice is changing. The following are examples of how to address the use of marital status in correspondence. Regardless of the examples, always respect a woman's right to be addressed as she prefers, that is, as she indicates on her correspondence. If a woman signs a letter as Mrs Harold Chow, that is the name you would use when you reply to her letter. GENERAL RULES Here are a few general rules about appropriate written and oral forms of address. 1. Ms, Mrs, Miss and Mr The practice of identifying women by their marital status began in the eighteenth century. Today, however, this is no longer considered either necessary or appropriate. The female equivalent of Mr is Ms. Like both Mrs and Miss, ms is an abbreviation of the obsolete courtesy title Mistress. It emerged in the 1940's as a marital-status-free alternative for women, and has gained almost universal acceptance throughout the English-speaking world. On most occasions, and particularly when writing letters, it is possible to eliminate courtesy titles altogether and simply call people by their names. Not Miss Tara Potter and Mr Gilles Pelletier But Tara Potter and Gilles Pelletier If however, you do not know the person's first name, or the occasion definitely calls for a courtesy title, use Ms, unless a woman indicates she wishes to be called Mrs or Miss, or holds a professional title such as Dr. 2. Marital Status You know that a woman took her husband's surname. For example, Janet Schmidt is married to Ed Schmidt. Not Mrs Ed Schmidt But Janet Schmidt; Mrs Janet Schmidt Not Ed Schmidt and his wife Janet Joan Wright Page 9 15/07/2003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT But Janet and Ed Schmidt; Mr and Mrs Schmidt You know that a married woman has not taken her husband's surname. For example, Helen Moore is married to Charles Berry: Not Mrs Helen Moore But Helen Moore; Ms Helen Moore Not Mr and Mrs Berry But Charles Berry and Helen Moore; Mr Charles Berry and Ms Helen Moore Not Mrs Ann Halo But Ann Halo; Ms Ann Halo Professional Titles If a woman or man holds a professional or academic title, use it, e.g., Dr Singh; Professor Roberts. You know that a woman is married, but you are not sure whose surname she is using. For example, you are writing to Ann Halo: When addressing a government minister who has taken her husband's surname, use the Honourable or Hon without a courtesy title. You may also choose to address the minister simply by name, or as Minister. Not The Honourable Mrs Sheila Wafts But The Honourable Sheila Wafts; Hon Sheila Wafts; Dear Mrs Sheila Wafts; Dear Sheila Watts; Dear Minister 3. Writing to People You Do Not Know Certain names are obviously female or male. Others, like Robin, Sidney, Chris or Lesley are ambiguous. It is now common to omit courtesy titles altogether, a rule which is especially helpful when the signature does not make gender or marital status clear. Not Dear Mrs Chris Wilson; Dear Mr Howard Gluck But Dear Chris Wilson; Dear Howard Gluck Use a courtesy title only when you do not know your correspondent's first name, but you do not know her or his gender; e.g., Dear Ms Wilson; Dear Mr Gluck Joan Wright Page 10 15/07/2003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT If you are writing to a person you do not know at all, use Dear Sir or Madam or Dear Madam or Sir, or address your letter to a specific title; e.g., Dear Office Manager- Dear Financial Assistance Worker. Avoid using To whom it may concern. If you know only an initial or initials and last name of the person to whom you are writing, use the initials without a courtesy title; e.g., Dear J Thompson,- Dear LK Tam, 4. Writing to More than One Person When you are writing to more than one person of the same gender, either omit courtesy titles: e.g., Dear Maria Rodrigues and Muriel Bernstein or Dear Edward Anderson and Norman Leland, or use Mses for women and Messrs for men; e.g., Mses Rodrigues and Bernstein; Dear Messrs Anderson and Leland. When writing to two or more people of different genders, use courtesy titles; e.g., Dear Ms Chalmers and Mr MacDonald or omit them; e.g., Dear Rhonda Chalmers and Charles MacDonald. When writing to a group or organisation (gender unknown, use Dear Colleagues or Dear Members. Never use the exclusive Dear Sirs. 6. Circulating a Document When circulating a document, be consistent in your form of address: Not p.c.: Ms Alice McKinnon; CL Carter; Mr Carl Ellis, Miss Regina Rogers But p.c.: Alice McKinnnon, Chris Carter, Carl Ellis, Regina Rogers FALSE GENERICS Generics are nouns and pronouns intended to be used for both women and men. Some generics are also male-specific, which creates ambiguity and excludes women. Male-specific generics, or false generics, tend to call up primarily male images for readers and listeners. Their continued use, therefore, is incompatible with gender-inclusive language. The following discussion will provide you with an understanding of how these false generics came into use and how you can eliminate them from your writing and conversation. MAN/ HE 1. Man Originally, man meant human being or person., but over the years it has come to be used both generically and to denote male human beings only. Joan Wright Page 11 15/0712003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT For many people, the generic use of man results in ambiguity. Does the writer or speaker mean men only, or are women included as well? You can avoid this confusion by using gender-inclusive generics, thus ensuring that women are included and represented fairly in your writing and conversation. Below is a list of common false generics and some suggested alternatives. This list is intended as a guide; it is not exhaustive. For more detailed suggestions, consult The Non-sexist Word Finder.-A Dictionary of Gender- Free Usage by Rosalie Maggio (Boston: Beacon Press, 1991). Remember that many words that include the word man like, manage, mandate, manuscript, and mandolin –are not false generics. This guide suggests alternatives only to those words or phrases that obviously exclude women. One way to deal with gender-specific references is to use them gender-fairly. Gender-fair usage involves the equal and symmetrical use of gender-specific terms, and overall fairness to both sexes. For example, if businesswoman or businessman are used, rather than businessperson, they should be used an equal number of times, neither word should be used "generically" unless gender is relevant in the context. Instead of Use Alderman Councillor Businessman Businessperson (businessman and businesswoman appropriate if used gender-fairly–i.e., an equal number of times–or if gender is relevant) Cameraman Camera operator Clergyman Cleric (or be specific, e.g., preacher, bishop) Draftsman Drafter; draftsperson Early man, primitive man Early peoples; primitive humans Fireman Firefi ghter Fisherman Fisher; angler; (fisherwoman and fisherman appropriate if used gender- fairly or if gender is relevant) 'I Foreman Supervisor; chief; lead or head supervisor Handyman Caretaker; repairer{handyman and handywoman appropriate if used aender-fairly or if gend- I Mailman Postal carrier; letter carrier Man Human bet Man Human beinas: oeonle: individuals Man verb} Staff: o erate; serve at/on 0 r i Man-da s/hours IA1^rL-=r_r4nti /hours rke dw 1 Mankind Humankind; human beings; people, individuals Joan Wright Page 12 1510712003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT Man-made Synthetic; artificial: handmade FManpower Staff; employees; human resources; personnel Middleman Go-between; intermediary; facilitator Newsman Reporter; journalist (or be specific, e.g., columnist) i Policeman Police ofFicer(policeman or policewoman appropriate if used gender-fairly or if gender is relevant) Repairman Repairer; technician (or be specific, e.g., mechanic, electrician) Salesman Sales clerk; sales representative; salesperson (saleswoman or salesman appropriate is used gender- fairly or if gender is relevant) Subordinate -Colleague, worker, employee Spokesman Spokesperson (spokesman or spokeswoman appropriate if used gender-fairly or if gender is relevant) Sportsman Athlete: sports lover; sports enthusiast (sportsman or sportswoman appropriate if used gender-fairly or if gender is relevant) Tradesman Tradesperson (tradeswoman or tradesman appropriate if used gender-fair)y or if gender is relevant) Watchman Watch; security guard Workman Worker 2. Chairman/Chair Chairman probably generates more discussion than any other gender-specific word. The two most commonly used alternatives are chair and chairperson. Some people, however, think that the use of chair is illogical, and they object to being called "a piece of furniture," But chair has been used in this sense since the seventeenth century. Chair is an example of metonymy, a figure of speech that describes some thing in terms of its associated qualities—such as turf for horse-racing or crown for queen or king. Remember that if chair does not seem right to you, there are other alternatives to chairman you might consider, such as convenor, co-ordinator, moderator, or president. When addressing the chair directly, most people use Madam Chair or Mr Chair, Because Madam is not gender-parallel to Mr, other alternatives, such as Ms Chair, are also being used. Joan Wright Page 13 15/07/2003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT 3. He, His and Him The English language has no sex-indefinite, third-person pronoun, so most of us learned in school that it is grammatically correct to use the pronouns he, his and him when referring to singular antecedents of unspecified gender. For example, we were taught to say Every employee will receive his payslip at the end of the month or, Each student must meet with his advisor, even when we were referring to employees or students of both sexes. This is no longer acceptable, but some people feel that the alternative to the false generic he produce clumsy, unclear writing. This need not be the case. With a little thought and effort, you can write well and avoid gender-inclusive language. For example, you can say Employees will receive their Pay Slips at the end of the month. Some alternatives to he, his and him are more appropriate in certain situations than others. Your choice will depend on a number of factors, such as the tone you wish to adopt and the audience you are addressing. Just remember two things: ❖ Avoid alternating between false generic she and false generic he. Do not use she in one paragraph, he in the next, and so on. This is confusing to your audience. Do not use he with a disclaimer to indicate that even though you are using the male pronoun, you intend it to include women as well. This technique is illogical because it advises readers to ignore what you have written. There are many other effective alternatives to the "generic" he. Keep in mind that your goal is twofold: to eliminate gender bias and to express yourself as clearly as possible. A. Use the Plural Rewriting a sentence in the plural is often the best choice. Not Each office manager should ensure that he attends the meeting, But Office managers should ensure that they attend the meeting, B. Eliminate Personal Pronouns Another useful technique is to eliminate gender-specific personal pronouns altogether. Some sentences can be rewritten easily. Not Each applicant must submit his curriculum vita. Joan Wright Page 14 15107/2003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT But Each applicant must submit a curriculum vita. Others might need to be restructured: Not A social worker must provide good service to his clients if he wants to make a difference. But A social worker who wants to make a difference must provide good client service. C. Use she or helshe or he She or he (or he or she) has long been an acceptable substitute for false generic he. Some people use it specifically to draw attention to the fact that they are including both women and men, e.g., Each applicant must submit his or her curriculum vita. Used sparingly, he or she and she or he are very helpful solutions. However, repeating them frequently throughout a passage will alienate even the most dedicated reader. Avoid using s1he or (s)he or any of their variants. Although these forms provide a quick solution, most readers find them awkward or interruptive. D. Use yowl your In some cases, you can avoid using he by addressing the reader directly. This is a particularly good alternative when explaining how to do something. Not Each driver must be sure to renew his automobile licence yearly. But Be sure to renew your automobile licence yearly. E. Use one You can sometimes use one in place of a third-person pronoun. Bear in mind that this word choice will change the tone of your writing, making it more formal. Not A director should require an estimate before he hires a consultant. But As a director, one should require an estimate before hiring a consultant. F. Use a gender-inclusive synonym Try using a gender-inclusive synonym instead of the false generic he. Not Every government ministry has a Secretary to the Minister. He is responsible for the overall administration of the ministry, Joan Wright Page 15 1510712003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT But Every government ministry has a Secretary to the Minister. This official is responsible for the overall administration of the ministry. G. Rewrite the sentence If all else fails, rewrite the sentence to eliminate false generic he. Not When an editor revises a document, he usually marks his changes in red. But When revising a document, an editor usually marks his changes in red. -or- An editor who is revising a document usually marks changes in red. -or Editors usually mark their changes in red. NON-WRITTEN MATERIALS Audio and visual materials are powerful communication tools that influence perceptions and attitudes. Because the government is committed to a leadership role in changing attitudes towards women, all government communications must portray women equitably and fairly. The principles underlying gender-inclusive guidelines for written and oral communications apply to audio and visual materials as well. Women and men should be portrayed as equals, rather than having roles and characteristics assigned on the basis of gender. Women should be depicted as having equal opportunities, being in positions of authority, and succeeding in a wide variety of endeavours, VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS While it may not be possible to have an equal number of women and men in every photograph, illustration, cartoon or video segment, it is important that the total presentation in these media be as balanced as possible. To achieve balance, you should show men in roles or jobs women have traditionally held, for example, as nurses or secretaries. Visual communications portraying men and women fairly show women: As equal and active participants in all aspects of life—at home, in the workplace, at school, in public life and in the community; As being of various ages and ethnic origins, and of differing physical attributes; ❖ In non-traditional and non-stereotypical roles; e.g., women in technical or financial positions Joan Wright Page 16 1510712003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT ❖ In positions at all levels of authority and of comparable status, ❖ In equal numbers Avoid conveying unintentional or subliminal messages about women. Show women: ❖ In postures, expressions, gestures and clothing that convey equal status and authority, and As being businesslike and serious. AUDIO/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Audio/oral communications, whether on their own or as part of a visual presentation, should be guided by the same principles of fairness as written and visual materials. In addition, when preparing speeches, seminars and audio-visual voice-avers, remember to: Use women as interviewers, interviewees and speakers at events: ❖ Use female voices as often as male voices in voice-avers regardless of subject matter, and ❖ Ensure that dialogue and style of expression convey equal status and authority when alternating between male and female voices, Joan Wright Page 17 15/07/2003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT Glossary Gender vs. sex— sex refers to the biological differences between men and women. Gender refers to the socially constructed roles and responsibilities of women and men. The concept of gender also includes the expectations held about the characteristics, aptitudes and likely behaviours of women and men (femininity and masculinity). These roles and expectations vary across time, economies and societies. Gender-inclusive analysis -- recognises that to the extent a policy has an impact on people, it will very likely have different impacts on women and men because they have different roles in society. Gender-inclusive analysis identifies differences arising out of the gender division of labour and out of unequal access to power and resources, and assumes that these differences can be changed. The Guide to Gender-inclusive Language promotes gender-inclusive analysis as the approach most likely to result in equitable outcomes for men and women. Gender-neutral analysis — assumes that all people are affected by policies/programmes in the same way or that there is a neutral impact on people as a result of a policy/programme. Gender-neutral analysis does not result in equitable outcomes for women and men. If you adopt a gender- neutral approach to policy/programme development, you will unintentionally perpetuate existing inequities in the lives of men and women. Gender equality--the concept of equality has evolved over time. Initially, gender equality focused on rights, and meant treating everyone the same, regardless of their individual or group circumstances ("formal"equality and "gender-neutral" approaches). Over time, gender equality has evolved to reflect a concern for arriving at equitable conditions for women and men rather than treating women and men as if they were the same. Gender equity-- is the outcome of being fair to women and men. To ensure fairness, measures must often be available to compensate for historical and social disadvantages that prevent men and women from otherwise operating on a level playing field. Equity leads to equality. A society which fosters gender equity benefits everyone in the longer term. Systemic discrimination — is caused by policies and practices that are built into systems and that have the effect of excluding women and other groups and/or assigning them to subordinate roles and positions in society. Often a mixture of intentional and unintentional discrimination is involved. Although discrimination may not exclude all members of a group, it will have a more serious effect on one group than on others. The remedy often requires affirmative measures to change systems. Employment equity policies are an example of attempts to address systemic discrimination against women, black and minority ethnic women and people with disabilities. Joan Wright Page 18 15/07/2003 GUIDE TO GENDER-INCLUSIVE POLICY AND PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT List of Resources The resources suggested below will help increase your knowledge and understanding of the issues underlying gender-inclusive analysis. LANGUAGE AND VALUES: Belensky, Margaret. Women's Ways of Knowing: The Development of Self, Voice and Mind. New York: Basic Books, 1973. Communicating Without Bias. Victoria: Province of British Columbia, Canada, 1992 Gender Socialisation:New Ways, New World. Victoria: Province of British Columbia, Canada, 1993. Hess, Beth. Analyzing Gender. A Handbook of Social Science Research. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1987, Maggio, Rosalie. Non-sexist Word Finder: A Dictionary of Gender-free Usage, Boston: Beacon Press, 1989. Report of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada. Ottawa: The Royal Commission, 1970. Griffith, Jennifer, Eliminating Generic-Male Language: Political Statement or Just Good Writing? Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge, TN, 1994. Guidelines for the Introduction of Non—Sexist Language. University of Western Austalia, 1997. Spender, Dale. Man Made Language. Routledge and Kegan Paul, Melbourne, Australia, 1980. Sorrels, Bobbye D. The Non-Sexist Communicator. Prentice-Hall of Australia Ltd, Sydney, 1983 Redfern, Jenny R. Writing with Gender-Fair Language: The Generic HelMan Problem, Renssaleaer Polytechnic Institute, 1996 Christian, Barbara. Doing Without The Generic He/Man in Technical Communication. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication 16: 87-98, 1986 Dodd, Janet S. The ACS Style Guide:A Manual for Authors and Editors. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, 1986 Joan Wright Page 19 1510712003 ARTICLE XXXV CHARTER Ab&7qDbfE?vTT Section 24 . 01 . initiation of Amendments . Amendments to this charter may be initiated only in the following manner: A. By resolution of the council adopted after two readings on separate days and passed by a vote of five or more members of the coun C-4L-1 . B. By petition presented to the council-, signed by not less than five percent (5%) of the voters registered in the last general election, setting forth the proposed amendments . Such petitions shall designate and authorize not less than three nor more than five of the signers thereto to approve any alteration or change in the form or language or any restatement of the text of the proposed amendments which may be made by the county attorney. Upon filing of such petition with the council, the county clerk shall examine it to see whether it contains a sufficient number of apparently genuine signatures of voters . ARTICLE XXXX INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM Section 22 . 03. -Submission Requirement . A. Voters seeking to propose an ordinance by initiative shall submit an initiative petition addressed to the council and containing the full text of the proposed ordinance. The initiative petition shall be filed with the clerk of the council at least ninety-six (961) hours prior to any regular council committee mee B. Voters seeking referendum of an ordinance shall submit a referendum petition addressed to the council, identil - `:v ng the Particular ordinance and request-ing that it be -either repealed or referred to the voters of the countv. 7ach initiative or each referendum pe-Lit-ion must be signed by not less than twenty percent (20%) of the number of eligible voters in the last preceding general election. CR9 2011-02 D. if an initiative or referendum measure is to be olaced on the ballot ®n a general election, the initiative any referendum L - -L netit-ions must be submitted not less than one hundred twenty "120" calendar days prior to the day Comparison of Signature Requirements by County for Charter Amendments and Initiative Petitions Charter Amendment Initiative City/County of Honolulu I Signed by duly registered Signed by duly registered I voters equal in number to at i voters equal in number to at least ten percent of the total least ten percent of the total voters registered in the last I voters registered in the last regular mayoral election regular mayoral election (Charter §15-101.(b) (Charter §3-402. 1) An initiative special election requires duly registered voters equal to fifteen percent of the duly registered voters in the last regular mayoral election (Charter §3- 402. 1) County of Maui Signed by not less than ten Petitions must be signed by percent (10%) of the voters not less than twenty (20%) of registered in the last general the total number of voters election (Charter§14-1. 2) who cast ballots in the last mayoral general election (Charter §11-3. 2) .*42) w h mayoral (Ch County of Hawaii Signed by qualified electors equal in number to at least Not specifically spelled out twenty percent of the total but "is found to be insufficient ballots cast in the last if signed by registered voters preceding general election of the county equal in number (Charter §15-1. (b) to less than fifteen percent of the number of persons who votedfor the office of Mayor in the last Mayoral election." (Charter §11-5. (c) (1) County of Kauai Signed by not less than five Signed by not less than percent (5%) of the voters 1 twenty percent (20%) of the registered in the last general number of eligible voters in election (Charter §24.01 B) the last preceding general election (Charter§22.03 C) CRID 2011-02 all Charteri'Amendment—Initiative Comparison by Cty 012'711