Executive Director of the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights Condemns Attacks on Kentucky Human Rights Commission
Cleveland L. Horton II, Executive Director of the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights, today issued a strong and unequivocal statement condemning recent efforts that threaten to weaken the authority and effectiveness of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights.
House Bill 468 - PDF currently pending before the Kentucky General Assembly would strip power from the state and local human rights commissions that enforce civil rights law for the public, and instead direct aggrieved people to hire lawyers and file lawsuits. Such a shift places a significant financial burden on individuals who believe they have been discriminated against by forcing them to utilize the services of private attorneys to pursue resolution of their claims. This approach will undoubtedly result in many people choosing not to pursue valid claims of illegal discrimination. HB468 is awaiting a final vote in the Kentucky House of Representatives before moving to the Kentucky State Senate for consideration.
Executive Director Horton warned that such actions, whether intentional or not, risk eroding critical civil rights infrastructure that communities rely upon.
“Let me be clear: attacks – direct or indirect – on civil rights enforcement agencies anywhere in this nation must concern us all. The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights plays a vital role in ensuring fairness, accountability, and justice for the people of Kentucky. Efforts that diminish its authority threaten the very protections generations fought to secure.”
Horton emphasized that state civil rights agencies serve as the front line for individuals facing discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations, and beyond.
“Agencies like the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights are not bureaucratic obstacles – they are lifelines. They provide accessible, expert, and community-centered enforcement that courts alone cannot replicate. Weakening these institutions sends a dangerous message about our collective commitment to equal justice.”
The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights is calling on policymakers, advocates, and civil rights leaders nationwide to remain vigilant and engaged.
“This moment demands courage and clarity. We must stand up – not just in Kentucky, but across this country – to protect the infrastructure that protects our people.”
Horton closed with a reminder rooted in the civil rights movement: “As Fannie Lou Hamer so powerfully reminded us, ‘None of us are free until all of us are free.’ That truth still calls us to action today. The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights stands in solidarity with the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights and all who are committed to defending civil rights enforcement in America.”