A version of a change in employment discrimination laws could be sent to the governor today after surviving mini-filibuster in the state senate.
Supporters of the bill say it rolls back civil rights laws to the original act of 1964 and changes made in 1991, correcting excesses created by court rulings since. Critics say that’s a good reason to defeat the bill. Opponents also say propsed changes to the whistleblower protection act leave whistleblowers with ltitle protection—a policy that minority leader Victor Callahan says is a big steaming pile of policy that reeks. He says the proposals provisions would have kept a whistleblower from revealing the tobacco industries secrets or the business pracatice sof Enron.
Sponsor Brad Lager expects the governor to veto the bill, as he vetoed the bill last year. He hopes the governor will then work with the legisalture on things agreeable to both sides, although he’s not really counting on it.
A second version of the bill is still alive and could produce more lengthy debate if it starts moving again.