Cal. Civ. Code § 213.131
Local commissions, certification — review — decertification
Operative Text
1. No local commission shall have authority to hear complaints of violations of this chapter unless such municipal or county commission has first been certified to be substantially equivalent by the commission. The commission shall certify a local commission as substantially equivalent if the ordinance establishing the local commission provides substantially similar protection of the procedural rights of parties appearing before the local commission as are provided for by the provisions of this chapter. 2. The commission shall review the certification of each local commission at least once every five years to determine whether it is appropriately safeguarding the procedural and substantive rights of parties appearing before it. Should the commission determine that a local commission is not adequately protecting the rights of parties appearing before it, it shall direct the commission staff to enter into negotiations with the local commission for the purpose of attempting to correct any deficiencies. Any decision to decertify a local commission shall be appealable to circuit court pursuant to the provisions of chapter 536.
Missouri Revised Statutes § 213.131 establishes a certification system for local (municipal or county) human rights or fair housing commissions that wish to hear complaints under Missouri's anti-discrimination chapter. A local commission may only accept and decide such complaints if the state Missouri Commission on Human Rights has first determined that the local body's governing ordinance provides protections substantially similar to those in state law. The state commission must revisit each local commission's certification at least every five years, and if deficiencies are found, it must attempt to negotiate corrections before any decertification — which itself can be appealed to circuit court under chapter 536.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 213.131, property owners and managers should be aware that a complaint filed with a local commission is only valid if that local body holds current state certification as substantially equivalent to the state commission. Compliant operators generally verify whether a local commission handling a complaint against them has been certified, since an uncertified body lacks authority to hear the matter. Staying informed about the certification status of local commissions in the jurisdictions where properties are located is a routine part of understanding which forums have jurisdiction over fair housing disputes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 213.131 means that tenants who file a housing discrimination complaint with a local commission should confirm that the local body is currently certified as substantially equivalent by the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, because an uncertified local commission has no authority to hear the case. If a local commission loses its certification or is found to be inadequately protecting parties' rights, the state commission is required to work toward correcting those deficiencies before decertification can occur. Tenants who have questions about a local commission's certification status or their procedural rights may wish to contact the Missouri Commission on Human Rights directly or consult a tenant-rights organization familiar with § 213.131.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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