(Jefferson City, MO) — Missouri Senators began what promises to be a lengthy debate Monday on legislation that would make it harder for employees to sue their employers for discrimination.
The bill, which Republican majority leaders have called one of their top priorities, seeks to undo several judicial changes that have been made to the Missouri Human Rights Act.
Under current judicial interpretation, an employee in Missouri must only prove that his or her race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical handicap or other protected status was a “contributing factor” in adverse employment actions made against them. But Senate Republicans want to revert to the standard established in the 1964 Civil Rights Act, where it must be proven that an employees protected status was a “motivating factor” in their employer’s actions.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah, argued Monday afternoon in the Senate chamber that his bill would help attract more employees to Missouri by putting the state’s discrimination standards back in line with the rest of the nation.
But Democrats took the floor in unified opposition to the bill, claiming that the pro-business argument made by Republicans was ludicrous. Sen. Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis, said there’s no evidence to support the claim that standards of proof in discrimination cases have made Missouri any less attractive to out of state businesses.
“We spent year’s developing this law, why would we want to go back?” Keaveny said. “We’ve made it harder to discriminate in this state.”
Senators are expected to resume their debate Tuesday.
Missouri Senate Begins Debate on Workplace Discrimination Bill
