Legislation that would change Missouri’s workplace discrimination standards is getting attention this week by both State House and Senate members.
First, a House committee voted Monday to approve its version of the bill that would mandate that discrimination would have to be a motivating factor in any action taken against an employee, not a contributing factor as currently defined by state law. Then the State Senate began debate on their version of the bill Monday.
Passing this law is one of the Senate's top priorities this year. “It will create some certainty," President Pro-tem Rob Mayer said, "in the area of the law where the courts have been gravitating away from what was once the law here in the state of Missouri.”
Senate debate is scheduled to resume Tuesday. Democrats say the bill would weaken Missouri’s definition of workplace discrimination. A similar bill was vetoed last year by Governor Nixon. In Jefferson City I’m Marshall Griffin.