LETTER: Missouri Human Rights Act modification will weaken civil rights

I was born with muscular dystrophy and have worked in Missouri since I left home at the age of 18. My story is not common. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is among the highest in the nation. Last week, SB 188, which seeks to modify the law relating to the Missouri Human Rights Act and employment discrimination, was delivered to Gov. Nixon for his signature. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah, said he wants "Missouri employees to be protected from employers who break the law" by "raising our standards to meet the provisions set out in the historic Civil Rights Act."