GOP bill would alter Civil Rights panel
Democrats in the Colorado House may not like it, but GOP senators are planning to make changes to a bill today that would reauthorize the Colorado Civil Rights Commission.
While House Democrats say the seven-member commission is functioning just fine, Sen. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, plans to make a few changes to HB1256 when the Senate Judiciary Commission reviews it this afternoon, including adding an eighth member.
Gardner said he doesn't believe the commission is balanced enough, not only in who sits on the panel, but how it conducts its business, which is to enforce the state's anti-discrimination laws and hear specific cases on such things as employment and housing discrimination."
There's a sense in the business community that the commission is complainant-oriented to the point that they're not getting equitable hearings," Gardner said. "The idea is to create a commission that is broad in its spectrum and in its representation. It is a politically appointed commission, so having voices from across the spectrum is important."receiving taxpayer funds you can’t play those games with the information taxpayers want.”
