(St. Louis Public Radio) – The head of the Missouri NAACP finally was able to finish telling lawmakers on Monday why he says a GOP-backed bill would bring back the era of Jim Crow.
In February, state chapter president Nimrod Chapel spoke at the House special committee on Litigation Reform against the bill, which would make fired employees have to prove that race, religion, sex or age was the main reason for his or her dismissal, not just a contributing factor.
Supporters say it’ll protect businesses from frivolous lawsuits.
But the moment he said the bill would bring back Jim Crow — legally discrimniate against African-Americans — Republican committee chair Rep. Bill Lant, of Pineville, ordered Chapel’s microphone turned off and said his testimony was over.
Chapel received an apology from House leadership and was told he’d be able to speak at a later date, which came Monday.
“Some might say … ‘Well, you’re obviously here because this affects black people — it affects all people, all people,” he testified. “If you’re a human being in Missouri it’ll affect you. If you’re a man, woman, if you get to any age at all, I don’t care what color you are.”
Afterward, Chapel said he received the appropriate response this time, but believes that he would not have been able to come back if not for pressure from House leaders and the media.
Technically speaking, the hearing where Chapel’s microphone was turned off never did resume, because it was for the House version of the proposal, HB 552/550. Monday’s hearing was for the near identical Senate version, SB 43.
Republished with permission of St. Louis Public Radio: http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/missouri-naacp-chief-wraps-testimony-2-months-after-being-cut
