The Human Rights Board was finally established as an official Associated Students entity in a legislative council meeting last night, overcoming its defeat in deliberations last year.

Following multiple quarters of debate, the group approved the Office of Student Life Human Rights Coalition’s bid to integrate into A.S. as a board, committee or commission. Additionally, the council discussed the Halloween parking situation and funded the upcoming Students of Color Conference.

Although council members have hotly contended the request to form the new BCC over the past months, they decided it was a worthy addition to the association. Representative-at-Large Javier Martinez said the coalition’s ideals are aligned with those of A.S. and the University of California.

“It continues in the tradition of the association’s activism and it’s about education,” Martinez said. “If we want to be the progressive campus we claim we are, this would be a step in that direction.”

A.S. President Paul Monge-Rodriguez said the bill was strongly supported by students, so representatives could do no better than respect constituents’ wishes.

“These students came to us because they have a vision and wanted to make a difference on campus,” Monge-Rodriguez said. “I wouldn’t want to be part of a group that doesn’t let students contribute what they want to the campus.”

Additionally, the council allocated the SOCC one-fourth of its special projects budget for the full year, equal to $4,284. On-campus Representative Joe Lee said such significant funding was warranted as the event will not only draw 1,000 attendees from across the state but also greatly empower the campus as a whole.

“I think it’s a good way for legislative council to represent the student body, considering the large amount of hate crimes recently [reported] in our community,” Lee said. “That is something that we as A.S. should be concerned about.”

Furthermore, the council discussed Halloween parking. According to Student Advocate General Harrison Weber, students with a night and weekend pass from UCSB Transportation & Parking Services will face a two-hour time gap during which the permits will not be valid. He said this raises not only logistical issues but greater problems within the parking system as well.

“At a public forum last week, we asked if they could suspend the ban for a few hours and they said that was cool,” Weber said. “But apparently outside of the forum, that was not cool. We could all get a temporary pass or drive around for a few hours, but I think the principle that they can say something to our faces then go back on it is more important.”