On Friday, February 21, 2025, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights held a business meeting where the Commissioners voted on and approved the new appointments of members for eight State Advisory Committees. The Advisory Committees that were appointed are Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Virginia.
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights maintains 56 Advisory Committees—one in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories. Mandated by Congress, these bipartisan committees conduct studies on civil rights issues within their geographic jurisdictions.
Over the past year, Advisory Committees have released reports on a wide range of topics, including housing discrimination, disparities in pediatric healthcare, artificial intelligence in K-12 education, access to legal counsel, barriers to services for students with disabilities, teacher shortages, fair housing practices, the child welfare system’s impact on Black families, mental health care in juvenile justice systems, and accessibility challenges for individuals with disabilities.
In addition to advising the Commission, Advisory Committee reports often contribute to policy changes at the national, state, and local levels. More information about the work of the Commission’s Advisory Committees can be found here.
publicaffairs@usccr.gov