Welcome to the Office of Latino Affairs

Originally established as the governor’s Spanish-speaking task force through legislative action on April 1974. At the time its primary mission was to study the issues facing Spanish-speaking persons. The Task Force produced a report titled“Conóceme en Iowa”.

Two years later on July 1st of 1976 the Sixty-sixth General Assembly approved and Governor Robert Ray signed into law the Spanish-Speaking People’s Commission.
Ten years later, in 1986 , during an overall reorganization of state government the Iowa Department of Human Rights was formed, under which was placed the Spanish-Speaking People’s Commission.

In 1990, the Commission and the Division were renamed Latino Affairs. During the 2011 reorganization the Division of Latino Affairs was renamed again as the Office of Latino affairs.