Bill > HB23

This bill proposes several changes to the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights, primarily renaming it to the Alaska State Commission for Civil Rights and making several procedural and definitional modifications. The bill adds a provision allowing the governor to remove commissioners for cause, which includes incompetence, neglect of duty, misconduct, and actions that undermine the commission's work, with a requirement for due process including providing charges and an opportunity to be heard. The annual reporting requirements are updated to require a review of civil rights problems, with a report due by November 15 each year that can be made available electronically. The bill also modifies the definition of "employer" to provide an exemption for religious organizations when hiring employees for ecclesiastical or religious roles. Additionally, the bill makes consistent nomenclature changes across various sections of Alaska state law, replacing "Human Rights" with "Civil Rights" in references to the commission. The changes aim to clarify the commission's operations, reporting requirements, and scope of jurisdiction while maintaining its core mission of addressing civil rights issues in the state.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=HB23