JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The chairman of a Missouri House committee considering a bill that would narrow protections against discrimination is being criticized for cutting off the president of the Missouri NAACP from testifying against the bill.
The bill debated Monday by the House Special Committee on Litigation Reform would require plaintiffs bringing discrimination lawsuits to prove that race, religion, sex or other protected status was the motivating factor for discrimination or being fired, rather than just a contributing factor. It also would prevent employees from suing other employees and cap damages in discrimination lawsuits.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/2lH4A9S) when Missouri NAACP President Rod Chapel was testifying against the bill, committee chairman Bill Lant, a Republican from Pineville, grew frustrated with Chapel's discussion of racism in Missouri and shut off Chapel's mic.