For Immediate Release: April 11, 2023

Contact: Lillian A. Williams, 573-751-0220

Senator Doug Beck Files Remonstrance Calling for New Leadership for Missouri Commission on Human Rights

Jefferson City — State Sen. Doug Beck, D-Affton, today filed a Senate Remonstrance calling for new leadership for the Missouri Commission on Human Rights. This remonstrance is in response to the chair of this commission’s public testimony during a legislative hearing in which the chair did not identify himself as chairman of the commission, and only confirmed his position upon direct questioning from senators.

The mission of the Missouri Commission on Human Rights is to develop, recommend, and implement ways to prevent and eliminate discrimination and to provide fair and timely resolutions of discrimination claims through enforcement of the Missouri Human Rights Act.

“Missouri has a workforce shortage. To recruit and retain talented workers in Missouri, we need to make it clear that discrimination has no place in our state. To help prevent discrimination, we have the Missouri Commission on Human Rights,” said Sen. Beck. “Unfortunately, the chair of that commission has now publicly stated that he supports businesses being able to discriminate. Clearly, this is the wrong person to be leading the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, and that is why we have called for new leadership.”

Senator Beck has also sent a letter to the governor calling for the chair’s removal. The letter was signed by each member of the minority party.

For more information about Sen. Beck and his legislation, please visit his official Senate website at senate.mo.gov/beck.

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