The
United States Commission on Civil Rights
The United States Commission on
Civil Rights, first created by the Civil Rights Act of 1957, and reestablished
by the United States Commission on Civil Rights Act of 1983, is an independent,
bipartisan agency of the Federal Government. By the terms of the 1983 act, as
amended by the Civil Rights Commission Amendments Act of 1994, the Commission is
charged with the following duties pertaining to discrimination or denials of the
equal protection of the laws based on race, color, religion, sex, age,
disability, or national origin, or in the administration of justice: investigation of individual discriminatory denials of the
right to vote; study and collection
of information relating to discrimination or denials of the equal protection of
the law; appraisal of the laws and policies of the United States with respect to
discrimination or denials of equal protection of the law; maintenance of a
national clearinghouse for information respecting discrimination or denials of
equal protection of the law; investigation of patterns or practices of fraud or
discrimination in the conduct of Federal elections; and preparation and issuance
of public service announcements and advertising campaigns to discourage
discrimination or denials of equal protection of the law. The Commission is also
required to submit reports to the President and the Congress at such times as
the Commission, the Congress, or the President shall deem desirable.
The
State Advisory Committees
An Advisory Committee to the
United States Commission on Civil Rights has been established in each of the 50
states and the District of Columbia pursuant to section 105(c) of the Civil
Rights Act of 1957 and section 3(d) of the Civil Rights Commission Amendments
Act of 1994. The Advisory
Committees are made up of responsible persons who serve without compensation. Their functions under their mandate from the Commission are
to: advise the Commission of all
relevant information concerning their respective states on matters within the
jurisdiction of the Commission; advise the Commission on matters of mutual
concern in the preparation of reports of the Commission to the President and the
Congress; receive reports, suggestions, and recommendations from individuals,
public and private organizations, and public officials upon matters pertinent to
inquiries conducted by the State Advisory Committee; initiate and forward advice
and recommendations to the Commission upon matters in which the Commission shall
request the assistance of the State Advisory Committee; and attend, as
observers, any open hearing or conference that the Commission may hold within
the state.