Barbershop sues Polis over COVID relief for minority businesses

The lawsuit argues that coronavirus reduction funds put aside particularly for minority-owned companies violates the 14th modification.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A Colorado Springs barbershop proprietor has sued Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado Minority Enterprise Workplace this week over lately signed COVID-19 laws geared toward offering reduction to minority-owned small companies within the state.

The lawsuit, filed by Etienne Harde, who owns Locals Barbershop, argues that the invoice is unconstitutional as a result of it contains race-based classifications to obtain funding.

Polis’ workplace confirmed they acquired the lawsuit however didn’t provide additional remark.

Senate Invoice 1, often known as the COVID-19 Aid for Small & Minority Companies/Arts Organizations, was among the many payments handed throughout a particular legislative session final week. On Dec. 7, Polis signed the invoice into regulation, which incorporates $4 million in funding obtainable to minority-owned companies.

The invoice mandates that the Colorado Minority Enterprise Workplace use a portion of the funds for “reduction funds to minority-owned companies which were most impacted by COVID-19.”

Within the lawsuit, Harde, who’s white, states that the pandemic has inflicted “important financial hurt” on income at Locals Barbershop, which has seen enterprise decline by 33% this yr.

To remain in enterprise, the lawsuit says, Locals Barbershop would apply for financial help from the state, together with the financial reduction funds which might be “at the moment reserved solely for minority-owned enterprise.”

“SB1 appropriates $4 million for COVID-19 reduction funds for minority-owned companies,” the lawsuit reads. “Excluded from this appropriation are companies owned and operated by Caucasians. These companies are excluded from taking part in these reduction funds for no motive apart from the racial identities of the enterprise homeowners.”

Based on the lawsuit, the laws defines a minority-owned enterprise as a “enterprise that’s not less than [51%] owned, operated and managed by a person who’s a member of a minority group.”

Since state and county well being departments first started reporting demographic details about coronavirus circumstances, statistics have proven that COVID-19 disproportionately impacts Hispanic and Black Coloradans.

The lawsuit seeks to take away race-based {qualifications} for small companies in search of the financial stimulus funds.

“Limiting sure financial stimulus funds to minority-owned companies violates the Equal Safety Clause of the Fourteenth Modification by unconstitutionally making facial racial classifications,” the lawsuit continues.

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