North Dakota's Department of Labor will keep its name for at least two more years after the state House defeated a proposal to lengthen it.

Supporters of a state human rights commission have fought for years to change the agency's name to the Department of Labor and Human Rights, to reflect its role in handling discrimination complaints in housing, employment and public services.

Although two-thirds of the Labor Department's telephone calls are about wage complaints and other employment questions, five of its six investigators spend most of their time on discrimination cases, which are more time-consuming, officials say.

Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, said supporters of the name change believe it would make it easier for discrimination victims to find the proper agency to file a complaint. However, listings that identify the state's human rights division as part of the Labor Department are readily available in the phone book, Kasper said. There is even a toll-free number to call to discuss discrimination problems, he said.

The state labor commissioner, Lisa Fair McEvers, said she "has not received any complaints from anyone with human rights concerns, that they have had any difficulty finding where they needed to go to have their needs addressed," Kasper said.

Representatives voted 50-40 on Tuesday to defeat the legislation.

Rep. Bill Amerman, D-Forman, argued in the bill's favor, comparing the proposed name change to a business changing its name as it expands and gets into new ventures. The Labor Department's responsibilities for investigating discrimination complaints have grown in the last decade.

"That's what it should be called, the Department of Labor and Human Rights," Amerman said. "It's different than just the Department of Labor."

The bill is SB2121.