Human Rights Amendment Act

What this bill does

This bill creates a new Human Rights Tribunal to replace the current system of boards of inquiry for hearing human rights complaints in Bermuda. The Tribunal will be a permanent body with 12-15 members who will hear cases about discrimination and human rights violations.

If passed (voted YES)

• People with human rights complaints will have their cases heard by a specialized Tribunal with trained members, potentially leading to faster and more consistent decisions
• The Tribunal will have strong powers to compel witnesses, gather evidence, and make binding orders that can only be overturned on appeal
• A panel of legal and human rights experts will be permanently available to hear cases, rather than assembling new boards each time

If rejected (voted NO)

• The current system of temporary boards of inquiry would continue to handle human rights complaints
• There would be no permanent specialized body focused solely on human rights cases
• The existing process for hearing discrimination complaints would remain unchanged

Who it affects

This affects anyone in Bermuda who might file a human rights complaint about discrimination in employment, housing, or services, as well as businesses and organizations that might face such complaints. It also creates new opportunities for lawyers and human rights experts to serve as Tribunal members.