HOUSE BILL No. 4649

 

April 24, 2007, Introduced by Reps. Condino, Meadows, Byrnes, Alma Smith, Miller, Kathleen Law, Vagnozzi, Tobocman and Bieda and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

     A bill to amend 1976 PA 453, entitled

 

"Elliott-Larsen civil rights act,"

 

by amending the title and sections 102, 103, 202, 203, 204, 205,

 

206, 207, 209, 302, 402, 502, and 504 (MCL 37.2102, 37.2103,

 

37.2202, 37.2203, 37.2204, 37.2205, 37.2206, 37.2207, 37.2209,

 

37.2302, 37.2402, 37.2502, and 37.2504), the title as amended by

 

1992 PA 258, sections 102, 502, and 504 as amended by 1992 PA 124,

 

section 103 as amended by 1999 PA 202, section 202 as amended by

 

1991 PA 11, and section 402 as amended by 1993 PA 216.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

                                TITLE

 

     An act to define civil rights; to prohibit discriminatory or

 

harassing practices, policies, and customs in the exercise of those

 

rights based upon religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex,

 


height, weight, familial status, or marital status; to preserve the

 

confidentiality of records regarding arrest, detention, or other

 

disposition in which a conviction does not result; to prescribe the

 

powers and duties of the civil rights commission and the department

 

of civil rights; to provide remedies and penalties; and to repeal

 

certain acts and parts of acts.

 

     Sec. 102. (1) The opportunity to obtain employment, housing

 

and other real estate, and the full and equal utilization of public

 

accommodations, public service, and educational facilities without

 

discrimination or harassment because of religion, race, color,

 

national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, or

 

marital status as prohibited by this act, is recognized and

 

declared to be a civil right.

 

     (2) This section shall does not be construed to prevent an

 

individual from bringing or continuing an action arising out of sex

 

discrimination before July 18, 1980 which for an action that is

 

based on conduct similar to or identical to harassment.

 

     (3) This section shall does not be construed to prevent an

 

individual from bringing or continuing an action arising out of

 

discrimination based on familial status before the effective date

 

of the amendatory act that added this subsection which June 29,

 

1992 for an action that is based on conduct similar to or identical

 

to discrimination because of the age of persons residing with the

 

individual bringing or continuing the action.

 

     Sec. 103. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Age" means chronological age except as otherwise provided

 

by law.

 


     (b) "Commission" means the civil rights commission established

 

by section 29 of article V of the state constitution of 1963.

 

     (c) "Commissioner" means a member of the commission.

 

     (d) "Department" means the department of civil rights or its

 

employees.

 

     (e) "Familial status" means 1 or more individuals under the

 

age of 18 residing with a parent or other person having custody or

 

in the process of securing legal custody of the individual or

 

individuals or residing with the designee of the parent or other

 

person having or securing custody, with the written permission of

 

the parent or other person. For purposes of this definition,

 

"parent" includes a person who is pregnant.

 

     (f) "Harass" means any of the following, as applicable:

 

     (i) To direct unwelcome verbal or physical conduct or

 

communication to an individual based on or related to the

 

individual's religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex,

 

height, weight, familial status, or marital status if the conduct

 

or communication violates this act and has the purpose or effect of

 

substantially interfering with an individual's employment, public

 

accommodations or public services, education, or housing, or of

 

creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment, public

 

accommodations, public services, educational, or housing

 

environment.

 

     (ii) To direct unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual

 

favors, or other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a

 

sexual nature or based on or related to an individual's sex to an

 

individual if any of the following conditions are met:

 


     (A) Submission to the conduct or communication is made a term

 

or condition either explicitly or implicitly to obtain employment,

 

public accommodations or public services, education, or housing.

 

     (B) Submission to or rejection of the conduct or communication

 

by an individual is used as a factor in decisions affecting the

 

individual's employment, public accommodations or public services,

 

education, or housing.

 

     (C) The conduct or communication has the purpose or effect of

 

substantially interfering with an individual's employment, public

 

accommodations or public services, education, or housing or of

 

creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment, public

 

accommodations, public services, educational, or housing

 

environment.

 

     (g) (f) "National origin" includes the national origin of an

 

ancestor.

 

     (h) (g) "Person" means an individual, agent, association,

 

corporation, limited liability company, joint apprenticeship

 

committee, joint stock company, labor organization, legal

 

representative, mutual company, partnership, receiver, trust,

 

trustee in bankruptcy, unincorporated organization, the state or a

 

political subdivision of the state or an agency of the state, or

 

any other legal or commercial entity.

 

     (i) (h) "Political subdivision" means a county, city, village,

 

township, school district, or special district or authority of the

 

state.

 

      (i) Discrimination because of sex includes sexual harassment.

 

Sexual harassment means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for

 


sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct or

 

communication of a sexual nature under the following conditions:

 

     (i) Submission to the conduct or communication is made a term

 

or condition either explicitly or implicitly to obtain employment,

 

public accommodations or public services, education, or housing.

 

     (ii) Submission to or rejection of the conduct or communication

 

by an individual is used as a factor in decisions affecting the

 

individual's employment, public accommodations or public services,

 

education, or housing.

 

     (iii) The conduct or communication has the purpose or effect of

 

substantially interfering with an individual's employment, public

 

accommodations or public services, education, or housing, or

 

creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment, public

 

accommodations, public services, educational, or housing

 

environment.

 

     Sec. 202. (1) An employer shall not do any of the following:

 

     (a) Fail or refuse to hire or recruit, discharge, or otherwise

 

discriminate against an individual with respect to employment,

 

compensation, or a term, condition, or privilege of employment,

 

because of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex,

 

height, weight, or marital status.

 

     (b) Limit, segregate, or classify an employee or applicant for

 

employment in a way that deprives or tends to deprive the employee

 

or applicant of an employment opportunity, or otherwise adversely

 

affects the status of an employee or applicant because of religion,

 

race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, or marital

 

status.

 


     (c) Segregate, classify, or otherwise discriminate against a

 

person on the basis of sex with respect to a term, condition, or

 

privilege of employment, including, but not limited to, a benefit

 

plan or system.

 

      (d) Until January 1, 1994, require an employee of an

 

institution of higher education who is serving under a contract of

 

unlimited tenure, or similar arrangement providing for unlimited

 

tenure, to retire from employment on the basis of the employee's

 

age. As used in this subdivision, "institution of higher education"

 

means a public or private university, college, community college,

 

or junior college located in this state.

 

     (2) This section shall does not be construed to prohibit the

 

establishment or implementation of a bona fide retirement policy or

 

system that is not a subterfuge to evade the purposes of this

 

section.

 

     (3) This section does not apply to the employment of an

 

individual by his or her parent, spouse, or child.

 

     Sec. 203. An employment agency shall not fail or refuse to

 

procure, refer, recruit, or place for employment, or otherwise

 

discriminate against, or harass an individual because of religion,

 

race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, or marital

 

status; or classify or refer for employment an individual on the

 

basis of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height,

 

weight, or marital status.

 

     Sec. 204. A labor organization shall not do any of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Exclude or expel from membership, or otherwise

 


discriminate against, or harass a member or applicant for

 

membership because of religion, race, color, national origin, age,

 

sex, height, weight, or marital status.

 

     (b) Limit, segregate, or classify membership or applicants for

 

membership, or classify or fail or refuse to refer for employment

 

an individual in a way which that would deprive or tend to deprive

 

that individual of an employment opportunity, or which that would

 

limit an employment opportunity, or which that would adversely

 

affect wages, hours, or employment conditions, or otherwise

 

adversely affect the status of an employee or an applicant for

 

employment, because of religion, race, color, national origin, age,

 

sex, height, weight, or marital status.

 

     (c) Cause or attempt to cause an employer to violate this

 

article.

 

     (d) Fail to fairly and adequately represent a member in a

 

grievance process because of religion, race, color, national

 

origin, age, sex, height, weight, or marital status.

 

     Sec. 205. An employer, labor organization, or joint labor-

 

management committee controlling an apprenticeship, on the job, or

 

other training or retraining program , shall not discriminate

 

against or harass an individual because of religion, race, color,

 

national origin, age, sex, height, weight, or marital status, in

 

admission to, or employment or continuation in, a program

 

established to provide apprenticeship on the job, or other training

 

or retraining.

 

     Sec. 206. (1) An employer, labor organization, or employment

 

agency shall not print, circulate, post, mail, or otherwise cause

 


to be published a statement, advertisement, notice, or sign

 

relating to employment by the employer, or relating to membership

 

in or a classification or referral for employment by the labor

 

organization, or relating to a classification or referral for

 

employment by the employment agency, which that harasses or

 

indicates a preference, limitation, specification, or

 

discrimination, based on religion, race, color, national origin,

 

age, sex, height, weight, or marital status.

 

     (2) Except as permitted by rules promulgated by the commission

 

or by applicable federal law, an employer or employment agency

 

shall not do any of the following:

 

     (a) Make or use a written or oral inquiry or form of

 

application that elicits or attempts to elicit information

 

concerning the religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex,

 

height, weight, or marital status of a prospective employee.

 

     (b) Make or keep a record of information described in

 

subdivision (a) or to disclose that information.

 

     (c) Make or use a written or oral inquiry or form of

 

application that harasses or expresses a preference, limitation,

 

specification, or discrimination based on religion, race, color,

 

national origin, age, sex, height, weight, or marital status of a

 

prospective employee.

 

     Sec. 207. An individual seeking employment shall not publish

 

or cause to be published a notice or advertisement that specifies

 

or indicates the individual's religion, race, color, national

 

origin, age, sex, height, weight, or marital status, or harasses or

 

expresses a preference, specification, limitation, or

 


discrimination as to the religion, race, color, national origin,

 

age, height, weight, sex, or marital status of a prospective

 

employer.

 

     Sec. 209. A contract to which the this state, a political

 

subdivision, or an agency thereof of this state or a political

 

subdivision is a party shall contain a covenant by the contractor

 

and his or her subcontractors not to discriminate against or harass

 

an employee or applicant for employment with respect to hire,

 

tenure, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, or a matter

 

directly or indirectly related to employment, because of race,

 

color, religion, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, or

 

marital status. Breach of this covenant may be regarded as a

 

material breach of the contract.

 

     Sec. 302. Except where permitted by law, a person shall not do

 

any of the following:

 

     (a) Deny an individual the full and equal enjoyment of the

 

goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or

 

accommodations of a place of public accommodation or public service

 

because of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, or

 

marital status.

 

     (b) Print, circulate, post, mail, or otherwise cause to be

 

published publish a statement, advertisement, notice, or sign which

 

that harasses or indicates that the full and equal enjoyment of the

 

goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or

 

accommodations of a place of public accommodation or public service

 

will be refused, withheld from, or denied an individual because of

 

religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, or marital

 


status, or that an individual's patronage of or presence at a place

 

of public accommodation is objectionable, unwelcome, unacceptable,

 

or undesirable because of religion, race, color, national origin,

 

age, sex, or marital status.

 

     Sec. 402. An educational institution shall not do any of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Discriminate against or harass an individual in the full

 

utilization of or benefit from the institution, or the services,

 

activities, or programs provided by the institution because of

 

religion, race, color, national origin, or sex.

 

     (b) Exclude, expel, limit, or otherwise discriminate against

 

or harass an individual seeking admission as a student or an

 

individual enrolled as a student in the terms, conditions, or

 

privileges of the institution, because of religion, race, color,

 

national origin, or sex.

 

     (c) For purposes of admission only, make or use a written or

 

oral inquiry or form of application that elicits or attempts to

 

elicit information concerning, or harasses based on, the religion,

 

race, color, national origin, age, sex, or marital status of a

 

person, except as permitted by rule of the commission or as

 

required by federal law, rule, or regulation, or pursuant to an

 

affirmative action program.

 

     (d) Print or publish or cause to be printed or published a

 

catalog, notice, or advertisement indicating that harasses or

 

indicates a preference, limitation, specification, or

 

discrimination based on the religion, race, color, national origin,

 

or sex of an applicant for admission to the educational

 


institution.

 

     (e) Announce or follow a policy of denial or limitation

 

through a quota or otherwise of educational opportunities of a

 

group or its members because of religion, race, color, national

 

origin, or sex.

 

     Sec. 502. (1) A person engaging in a real estate transaction,

 

or a real estate broker or salesman, shall not on the basis of

 

religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, familial status,

 

or marital status of a person or a person residing with that person

 

do any of the following:

 

     (a) Refuse to engage in a real estate transaction with a

 

person.

 

     (b) Discriminate against a person or harass an individual in

 

the terms, conditions, or privileges of a real estate transaction

 

or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection with a

 

real estate transaction.

 

     (c) Refuse to receive from a person or transmit to a person a

 

bona fide offer to engage in a real estate transaction.

 

     (d) Refuse to negotiate for a real estate transaction with a

 

person.

 

     (e) Represent to a person that real property is not available

 

for inspection, sale, rental, or lease when in fact it is so

 

available, or knowingly fail to bring a property listing to a

 

person's attention, or refuse to permit a person to inspect real

 

property, or otherwise make unavailable or deny real property to a

 

person.

 

     (f) Make, print Print, circulate, post, mail, or otherwise

 


cause to be made or published make or publish a statement,

 

advertisement, notice, or sign, or use a form of application for a

 

real estate transaction, or make a record of inquiry in connection

 

with a prospective real estate transaction, which that harasses or

 

indicates, directly or indirectly, an intent to make a preference,

 

limitation, specification, or discrimination with respect to the

 

real estate transaction.

 

     (g) Offer, solicit, accept, use, or retain a listing of real

 

property with the understanding that a person may be discriminated

 

against or harassed in a real estate transaction or in the

 

furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith with a

 

real estate transaction.

 

     (h) Discriminate against or harass a person in the brokering

 

or appraising of real property.

 

     (2) A person shall not deny a person access to, or membership

 

or participation in, a multiple listing service, real estate

 

brokers' organization or other service, organization, or facility

 

relating to the business of selling or renting real property or to

 

discriminate against him or her in the terms or conditions of that

 

access, membership, or participation because of religion, race,

 

color, national origin, age, sex, familial status, or marital

 

status.

 

     (3) This section is subject to section 503.

 

     Sec. 504. (1) A person to whom application is made for

 

financial assistance or financing in connection with a real estate

 

transaction or in connection with the construction, rehabilitation,

 

repair, maintenance, or improvement of real property, or a

 


representative of that person, shall not do any of the following:

 

     (a) Discriminate against or harass the applicant because of

 

the religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, familial

 

status, or marital status of the applicant or a person residing

 

with the applicant.

 

     (b) Use a form of application for financial assistance or

 

financing or make or keep a record or inquiry in connection with an

 

application for financial assistance or financing which that

 

harasses or indicates, directly or indirectly, a preference,

 

limitation, specification, or discrimination as to the religion,

 

race, color, national origin, age, sex, familial status, or marital

 

status of the applicant or a person an individual residing with the

 

applicant.

 

     (2) A person whose business includes engaging in real estate

 

transactions shall not discriminate against a person or harass an

 

individual because of religion, race, color, national origin, age,

 

sex, familial status, or marital status, in the purchasing of loans

 

for acquiring, constructing, improving, repairing, or maintaining a

 

dwelling or the making or purchasing of loans or the provision of

 

other financial assistance secured by residential real estate.

 

     (3) Subsection (1)(b) does not apply to a form of application

 

for financial assistance prescribed for the use of a lender

 

regulated as a mortgagee under the national housing act, chapter

 

847, 48 Stat. 1246 12 USC 1701 to 1750g, or by a regulatory board

 

or officer acting under the statutory authority of this state or

 

the United States.