Subcommittee recommends changes to expand House policy to ‘eliminate harassment’

A proposed policy change aims to “eliminate harassment and discrimination” in the House of Representatives and protect members, staff and the public.

The House Subcommittee on Workplace Safety and Respect approved a report of proposed changes to the House Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment on Monday, and recommended those changes to the House Rules and Legislative Administration Committee.

House Majority Leader Joyce Peppin (R-Rogers), who chairs the rules committee, said the changes are planned to be before the full committee Wednesday.

The proposed changes aim to make the policy clearer and more broad, explained Ben Weeks of the nonpartisan House Research Department. Those changes include how reporting of discrimination and harassment happens and the House’s responsibilities in regards to how complaints are investigated.

WATCH Full video of Monday's hearing

The new policy would be expanded to include third parties – such as lobbyists, members of the press, other legislative employees and members of the public – and would require the House investigate complaints from third parties against House employees and members. It would also allow the director of human resources to hire outside investigators to look into whether the policy was violated.

Another proposed change would specify that conduct does not need to meet the “severe and pervasive” court standard to qualify as a violation of House policy. Peppin introduced a bill Monday that would amend that standard in state law.

Resolution also approved

The subcommittee also approved a Resolution on Workplace Safety and Respect and recommended it to the House Rules and Legislative Administration Committee.

The resolution would create an Interim Task Force on Workplace Safety and Respect comprised of the same members of the subcommittee. This will allow members to continue their work past the end of this year’s legislative session.

Peppin said Monday’s meeting will be the last of the subcommittee this session. But as a task force, they would be required to complete several projects by Dec. 1. They include:

• working with human resources and the House Research Department to develop a community survey regarding harassment and discrimination at the House;
• establishing a phone line and email address to take reports, complaints or concerns about harassment and discrimination;
• launching a website with information about the House policy and ways for the public, House employees and members to report incidents;
• developing training schedules for members and staff that include training on “unconscious bias, respect in the workplace, as well as harassment and discrimination training focused on bystander action”; and
• reviewing House rules and policies to ensure consistency with the new harassment and discrimination policy, if it’s adopted.

Many of the proposed changes in the policy and the resolution came from the testimony and recommendations the subcommittee heard this session regarding possible changes to how the House handles complaints of sexual harassment in the wake allegations made last year against former Rep. Tony Cornish.