Minnesota Department of Human Rights
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights is a state-level governmental body in Minnesota tasked with investigating abuses of its human rights laws and educating the public about them.
History
Prior to the establishment of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, the Minnesota Legislature created the State Commission Against Discrimination in 1955. Its role was to protect the rights of Minnesota residents, and to provide necessary services for them. This was in response to the amendment that the Legislature made to the fair employment practices act to include a housing provision.[1] The Minnesota Department of Human Rights was founded in 1967, to succeed the State Commission Against Discrimination.[2] This is because new federal civil rights laws were being passed in the United States, and the state of Minnesota wished to have an official body to handle violation of these civil rights laws. In 1973, Minnesota passed the Minnesota Human Rights Act, which the Department of Human Rights would enforce. That act, with subsequent renumbering and amendments, is codified as Chapter 363A of Minnesota Statutes.[3]
Organization
A commissioner and deputy commissioner oversee a communications team, a legal team, and a pool of investigators.[4] The commissioner must have a law degree and experience in civil rights legislation.
References
- ↑ "State Commission Against Discrimination (SCAD)". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
- ↑ "MDHR History". Minnesota Department of Human Rights. 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
- ↑ "2016 Minnesota Statutes Chapter 363A". Revisor of Statutes.
- ↑ "Staff Organization by Function". Minnesota Department of Human Rights. 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-15.