Bill Summaries: H518 EQUALITY FOR ALL.

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  • Summary date: Mar 29 2023 - View Summary

    Part I. Housing

    Amends GS 41A-4, which delineates unlawful discriminatory housing practices, to refer to the protected status of another person as the basis for unlawful discrimination instead of listing specific protected classes (currently, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicapping condition, or familial status). Adds protected status to the defined terms in GS 41A-3 and defines the term to mean a person's race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or genetic information. Makes conforming changes to use a person's protected status language to replace specific classes of persons throughout GS 41A-4 and GS 41A-5 (concerning proof of a violation of GS 41A-4).

    Amends GS 41A-6, which exempts from GS 41A-4 [except for subdivision (a)(6)] religious institutions and organizations operated by religions institutions or organizations that give preference to members of the same religion in a real estate transaction, so long as membership in that religion is not restricted by a protected status, other than religion (previously, specified race, color, sex, national origin, handicapping condition or familial status).

    Part II. Employment

    Amends GS 143-422.2 to establish that it is the public policy of the State to protect and safeguard the right and opportunity of all persons to seek, obtain and hold employment without discrimination or abridgment on account of race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, familial status, military or veteran status, or genetic information (previously, only protected race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex or handicap) by employers which regularly employ one or more employees (was, 15 or more employees).

    Makes conforming changes to expand employment protections to those same classes added to GS 143-422.2 by this act, to GS 126-16 (Equal opportunity for employment and compensation by State departments and agencies and local political subdivisions) and GS 126-34.02(b) (concerning the appeal process for agency employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation issues to be heard as contested cases).

    Part III. Public Accommodations

    Enacts Article 49C to GS Chapter 143, Equal Access to Public Accommodations, to be known as the Equal Access to Public Accommodations Act. Provides a legislative declaration that it is the public policy of the State to protect and safeguard the right and opportunity of all individuals within the State to enjoy fully and equally the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of places of public accommodation free of discrimination because of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, familial status, military or veteran status, or genetic information.

    Establishes that it is not discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity for a public accommodation to provide separate bathrooms or changing facilities based on gender. Mandates places of accommodation to provide access to facilities based on a person's gender identity. Defines place of public accommodations to have the same meaning as defined in GS 168A-3(8), but excludes any private club or other establishment that is not in fact open to the public.

    Authorizes the Human Relations Commission (Commission) in the Department of Administration to receive, investigate, and conciliate complaints of discrimination in public accommodations, and directs the Commission to effect an amicable resolution. Provides that in the event the Commission cannot effect an amicable resolution of the charges of discrimination, the complainant and the Commission can proceed with an enforcement action in accordance with GS 41A-7 (State Fair Housing Act enforcement provisions).

    Part IV. Credit

    Enacts GS 75-44 to prohibit discrimination by any person engaged in any form of lending money in this State, or to residents of this State, in the extension of credit on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or genetic information. Allows complainants concerning violations of this statute to file a grievance with the Human Relations Commission. Directs the Commission to effect an amicable resolution, and in the event the Commission cannot effect an amicable resolution, the complainant and the Commission can proceed with an enforcement action in accordance with GS 41A-7, as similarly provided in GS 143-422.13 enacted by this act. Makes a violation of this statute an unfair trade practice in violation of GS 75-1.1.

    Part V. Insurance

    Amends GS 58-3-25 to prohibit discriminatory practices by insurers because of an individual's race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, military or veteran status, or genetic information (previously, only protected race, color, national or ethnic origin).

    Part VI. Education

    Amends GS 115C-47 to require each local board of education to adopt a policy to establish that the local board of education and school personnel employed by the local board must not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or genetic information. Requires that the policy include that any person who claims to have been injured by an unlawful discriminatory practice or who reasonably believes that he or she will be irrevocably injured by an unlawful discriminatory practice may file a complaint with the North Carolina Human Relations Commission. Requires the Commission to then work with the relevant parties to develop an amicable resolution to the charge of discrimination, and allows the complainant and the Commission to proceed with an enforcement action if the Commission is unable to effect an amicable resolution of the charges.

    Enacts new GS 115C-112.10 prohibiting nonpublic schools that accepts students receiving scholarships grants from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or genetic information. Allows person who claim to have been injured by an unlawful discriminatory practice or believes that they will be irrevocably injured by such to file a complaint with the North Carolina Human Relations Commission. Requires the Commission to then work with the relevant parties to develop an amicable resolution to the charge of discrimination, and allows the complainant and the Commission to proceed with an enforcement action if the Commission is unable to effect an amicable resolution of the charges.

    Amends GS 115C-218.45 to expand the basis on which a charter school must not limit admission to also include color, age, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or genetic information; removes creed and ancestry. Allows a charter school that serves only certain grade levels to limit admission based on age. 

    Amends GS 115C-218.55 to prohibit a charter school from discriminating on the basis of national origin, race, color, religion, age, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, genetic information, or disability (was, only ethnicity, national origin, gender, or disability). Allows any person who claims to have been injured by an unlawful discriminatory practice or who reasonably believes that he or she will be irrevocably injured by an unlawful discriminatory practice to file a complaint with the North Carolina Human Relations Commission. Requires the Commission to then work with the relevant parties to develop an amicable resolution to the charge of discrimination, and allows the complainant and the Commission to proceed with an enforcement action if the Commission is unable to effect an amicable resolution of the charges.

    Amends GS 115C-562.5 to prohibit a nonpublic school from discriminating on the basis of on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or genetic information. Allows any person who claims to have been injured by an unlawful discriminatory practice or who reasonably believes that he or she will be irrevocably injured by an unlawful discriminatory practice to file a complaint with the North Carolina Human Relations Commission. Requires the Commission to then work with the relevant parties to develop an amicable resolution to the charge of discrimination, and allows the complainant and the Commission to proceed with an enforcement action if the Commission is unable to effect an amicable resolution of the charges.

    Amends GS 115D-77 to expand upon the State Board of Community Colleges and local board of trustees nondiscrimination policy to also prohibit discrimination on the basis of color, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, and genetic information. Adds that the State Board and each board of trustees must give equal opportunity for employment and compensation of personnel at community colleges without regard to marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or genetic information, in addition to the already listed categories. Allows any person who claims to have been injured by an unlawful discriminatory practice or who reasonably believes that he or she will be irrevocably injured by an unlawful discriminatory practice to file a complaint with the North Carolina Human Relations Commission. Requires the Commission to then work with the relevant parties to develop an amicable resolution to the charge of discrimination, and allows the complainant and the Commission to proceed with an enforcement action if the Commission is unable to effect an amicable resolution of the charges.

    Amends GS 116-11 to require the UNC Board of Governors to adopt a policy to provide that UNC and its affiliates and personnel employed by UNC and its affiliates must not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or genetic information. Requires that the policy include that any person who claims to have been injured by an unlawful discriminatory practice or who reasonably believes that he or she will be irrevocably injured by an unlawful discriminatory practice may file a complaint with the North Carolina Human Relations Commission. Requires the Commission to then work with the relevant parties to develop an amicable resolution to the charge of discrimination, and allows the complainant and the Commission to proceed with an enforcement action if the Commission is unable to effect an amicable resolution of the charges.

    Part VII. Jury Service

    Amends GS 15A-1214 to prohibit excluding a person from jury service on account of race, race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or genetic information.

    Part VIII.

    States legislative findings regarding the State's antidiscrimination laws. Directs the Legislative Research Commission to conduct a review of State antidiscrimination laws to develop legislative proposals that will further equality for all in NC through comprehensive legislation.

    Part IX.

    The act is effective July 1, 2023.