[St. Paul, MN] Today, the Minnesota Senate confirmed Rebecca Lucero as Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR). This follows unanimous approval by the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety committee on January 23, 2023.

“Commissioner Rebecca Lucero is a highly qualified and focused leader with a commitment to addressing and ultimately ending discrimination,” said Governor Tim Walz. “Minnesota is made better and more fair by her service as Commissioner of Human Rights.”

“In everything she does, Commissioner Lucero centers her commitment to justice, equity, and civil rights for all Minnesotans,” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. “Her work, especially on behalf of those who have faced discrimination along the lines of gender, sexuality, race, religion, or any other factor, has made our communities and our state safer.”

“The Minnesota Department of Human Rights is at the center of ending discrimination and is an unwavering force for advancing civil rights,” said Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero. “I am excited to continue this work with both fierce dedication and joy.” 

During her tenure, Commissioner Lucero has transformed MDHR into a strategic civil rights enforcement agency. This has included launching a pattern or practice investigation into the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department; settling discrimination cases that resulted in workplaces, schools, and public places having and enforcing stronger policies to prevent discrimination; and making schools safer and more welcoming for transgender and gender nonconfining students. 

In January 2019, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan appointed Rebecca Lucero and reappointed her in November 2022.

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights is the state’s civil rights enforcement agency and is responsible for enforcing the Minnesota Human Rights Act, one of the strongest state civil rights laws in the country.

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