Governor Laura Kelly appointed Laurel Klein Searles to the Human Rights Commission. Her appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.
The mission of the commission is to eliminate and prevent discrimination and assure equal opportunities in the state of Kansas in all employment relations; to eliminate and prevent discrimination, segregation or separation; and assure equal opportunities in all places of public accommodations and in housing.
The commission consists of seven members, all of whom are appointed by the Governor. These members include two industry representatives, two labor representatives, one attorney, one real estate agent and one public member.
“The Human Rights Commission plays a major part in protecting those who may face discrimination in their lives,” Kelly said. “Laurel has a history of fighting for those who need it and I know she will be a strong leader for the commission.”
Searles, Topeka, is an attorney and the director of the unemployment insurance division at the Kansas Department of Labor. She graduated from Washburn University School of Law and previously served as staff attorney for the Kansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence.