AN ACT prohibiting discriminatory employment practices and policies based upon race, color, religion, or country of ancestral origin; providing for a commission on civil rights, providing for the enforcement of the provisions of this act, defining certain words and phrases, prescribing powers and duties, providing penalties for violations of this act, amending sections 44-1001, 44-1002, 44-1003, 44-1004, and 44-1005 of the General Statutes Supplement of 1959, and repealing said original sections, and also repealing section 44-1008 of the General Statutes Supplement of 1959.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

SECTION 1. Section 44-1001 of the General Statutes Supplement of 1959 is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 44-1001. This article shall be known as the Kansas Act Against Discrimination. It shall be deemed an exercise of the police power of the state for the protection of the public welfare, safety, health and peace of the people of this state. The practice or policy of discrimination against individuals in relation to employment by reason of their race, religion, color, national origin or ancestry is a matter of concern to the state, that such discrimination threatens not only the rights and privileges of the inhabitants of the state of Kansas but menaces the institutions and foundations of a free democratic state. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the state of Kansas to eliminate discrimination in all employment relations. It is also declared to be the policy of this state to assure equal opportunities and encouragement to every citizen regardless of race, religion, color, national origin or ancestry, in securing and holding, without discrimination, employment in any field of work or labor for which he is properly qualified. It is further declared that the opportunity to secure and to hold employment is a civil right of every citizen. To protect that right, it is hereby declared to be the purpose of this act to establish and to provide a state commission having power