The Joint Committee on Fair Practices and State Personnel Oversight originated as the Joint Committee on Fair Practices which was created by the State Personnel Management System Reform Act of 1996 (Chapter 347, Acts of 1996). In October 2009, the Committee was restructured under its present name (Chapter 690, Acts of 2009).

The Committee oversees, reviews, evaluates, and makes recommendations on equal opportunity policies and practices. Further, the Committee oversees State employment policies and personnel systems within the Executive Branch, including the State Personnel Management System, the Human Resources Management System of the Department of Transportation, and the personnel systems of the State's institutions of higher education.

Eight members constitute the Committee. Of these, four are appointed by the Senate President and four by the House Speaker. The Senate President and House Speaker jointly select the co-chairs (Code State Government Article, sec. 2-10A-08).