SIOUX CITY, IA -
The state of Iowa just isn't doing well when it comes to dealing with discrimination complaints, that's what the NAACP says, and on Monday Governor Terry Branstad responded to those concerns.
The NAACP claims the Iowa Civil Rights Commission has had a bad record of reviewing complaints over the last 15 years.
Branstad admits the commission was in pretty bad shape when he took over as governor last year, but Branstad's quick to point out that one of the first things he did during this term was to appoint a new director to the commission.
That new director is Beth Townsend, she's a civil rights attorney who has experience representing people who've filed complaints with the Civil Rights Commission, and Branstad says she has already started turning things around.
"If you want to look back the last ten years I'll admit it was a disaster, it was a mess," says Branstad. "She's dramatically turned things around and I think if you look prospectively forward I think you're going to see much different results from the civil rights commission."
The Iowa Civil Rights Commission has a local connection, that's the Sioux City Human Rights Commission.
If you'd like to learn more about it, please visit this web site: https://www.sioux-city.org/human-rights
