(Iowa Capital Dispatch– Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa House voted Tuesday to diminish the role and authority of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and combine individual commissions on the status of underrepresented populations into a single board.

The legislation would turn the commission, created in 1965, into an advisory panel. Commission powers, such as the ability to investigate and address complaints on issues such as workplace violations of the Civil Rights Act, would instead go to the Iowa Office of Civil Rights and the Civil Rights Commission director.

The bill would do away with panels such as the commissions on Latino affairs, Native American Affairs, the commissions on the status of women, African Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders, persons with disabilities and women. One person representing each group would be appointed to a consolidated Human Rights Board.

The measures were part of a sprawling bill that would eliminate 74 of Iowa’s 256 boards and commissions and merge nine current boards into three new bodies. Two new boards would also be created. Ten boards would have their membership reduced. Tthe board includes a panel that will review the performance of 25% of the boards and commissions every year and can recommend that panels be restored if needed.

The Iowa House voted 54-42 on Senate File 2385 and will return it to the Senate for consideration of one amendment.

The bill as originally approved by the House makes relatively modest changes to the legislation originally proposed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, based on the recommendations of a task force created by last year’s massive government reorganization legislation. Reynolds originally proposed to eliminate 111 boards or commissions. The House initially approved a bill that would have cut or merged only 49 panels – fewer than half of those proposed for change.

Seven Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the bill: Reps. Zach Dieen of Granville, Charley Thomson of Charles City, Steven Bradley of Cascade, Mark Cisneros of Muscatine, Brad Sherman of Williamsburg, Eddie Andrews of Johnston and Thomas Jeneary of LeMars.

Thomson was the only Republican to speak against the bill.