Iowa House votes to turn Iowa Civil Rights Commission into advisory p…

The Iowa House voted Tuesday to diminish the role and authority of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and combine individual commissions on the status of underrepresented populations into a single board.

The legislation would turn the commission, created in 1965, into an advisory panel. Commission powers, such as the ability to investigate and address complaints on issues such as workplace violations of the Civil Rights Act, would instead go to the Iowa Office of Civil Rights and the Civil Rights Commission director.

“So really, by doing this, you will be restricting, you will be taking power and voice away from the people — those that have been discriminated (against), groups that have been historically disenfranchised,” Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames said of the changes.