NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee commission established by the state Supreme Court is starting a new initiative focused on eliminating barriers to racial and ethnic justice.

In a news release Thursday, the court says it directed the Access to Justice Commission to recommend changes to education and training, the judicial environment, and court policies and procedures that lead to racial bias.

The court says "a series of tragic deaths have reminded us that racism and injustice remain a mortal threat to the lives of Black people in our country."

The court created the commission more than a decade ago to develop a strategic plan for improving access to justice in Tennessee.