Bill Introduced to Eliminate Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities in Connecticut
The Connecticut State Assembly has introduced legislation that would eliminate one of the oldest public civil rights organizations in the United States. The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities was founded by an act of the State Legislature in 1943, predating the U.S. Civil Rights Act by over 20 years. "The mission of the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities is to eliminate discrimination and to establish equal opportunity and justice for all persons within the state. "
House Bill 5323 would take the responsibility of contract compliance, MBE utilization monitoring and employment discrimination remediation away from the CHRO and give that authority to the Department of Administrative Services (DAS). The Department of Administrative Services is part of the executive branch of state government with responsibilities to let contracts and to manage the state's supplier diversity program. The CHRO is currently responsible for matters of contract compliance as a way to provide checks and balances to the system that historically has been unfriendly to the interest of minority businesses and minority employees. Currently the CHRO monitors the procurement by State Agencies with regards to minority spending, which has been a disaster in recent years. Minority businesses have simply not gotten a share of state contracts that would be consistent with a fair and open system.
It is not that DAS is inherently incapable of taking on these responsibilities. The issue is that this law would create and exacerbate unmanageable conflicts of interest within DAS. DAS has never represented the interest of the minority business community and it is unlikely even with the authority provided by this legislation, that it would do so under this or any administration.
Yesterday, I met with the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, the Executive Director of CHRO, the State President of the NAACP and others at the Capitol. The sentiment in the room was that this legislation must not be allowed to pass. In addition, there was strong feeling in the room that some of the political problems the CHRO is currently experiencing is of their own doing. The CHRO has over the years lost of some of the close connection that it once had to minority communities and those interested in promoting equal rights and opportunities in employment and in contracting. The CHRO has experienced reductions in staff and budget consistently over the past 10 years making it a less effective and relevant organization. But the need persist in the state to have an organization like the CHRO that is independent from the Executive and Legislative branches of government to monitor and oversee contract compliance and anti- discrimination laws. The CHRO also can and should provide plaintiffs and defendants a cost effective mechanism to resolve disputes. The CHRO can and should monitor and report on the utilization of MBEs and encourage a fair distribution of state contracts among all businesses in the state.
This bill could be considered as soon as this Friday by the State Assembly. We call on all MBEs, corporate members and others to call their State Representatives and State Senators and urge them to vote against Bill #5323 and to encourage them to provide the funding necessary for CHRO to do its job.
