Des Moines, Iowa — Eighty-three state boards and commissions are being eliminated or consolidated. Governor Kim Reynolds recommended even more for elimination, but legislators pared down her list and she has approved the final plan. Iowa-Nebraska NAACP president Betty Andrews is raising concerns about shifting power away from the Iowa Civil Rights Commission to a director appointed by the governor. The plan also eliminates several commissions in the Iowa Department of Human Rights.
Reynolds says the Iowa Civil Rights Commission should be an advisory group rather than a decision-making board.
Reynolds says there’s never been a comprehensive review of all state boards and commissions and it’s a continuation of her efforts to make state government more efficient. A year ago, the legislature approved the governor’s plan to reduce the number of state agencies from 36 to 16.
