FRANKFORT, Ky. — A bill that would create a commission on race and access to opportunity has passed a Kentucky Senate committee.

Republican Senator David Givens of Greensburg told committee members that Senate Bill 10 would help guide lawmakers’ policy.

"I think it comes back to the fact that us getting policy right, especially on the topic of race, is number one, the right thing to do and then number two, it’s economically beneficial to all of us to elevate all Kentuckians and provide access to opportunity," Givens said.  

According to the bill, a 13-member commission would study issues such as education, health and criminal justice to find areas of improvement in providing opportunities for minority communities.

"When you look at this bill, when you look at this commission and what it does and the fact that you’ve got so many supporters all across that spectrum, it says that in Kentucky we can be the place where a lot of these solutions are made," said OJ Oleka with Anti-Racism Kentucky, who joined Givens in support of the bill. 

Senate Bill 10 passed the committee unanimously with bipartisan support and moves on to a full Senate vote.