Bill Text: CA AB941 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Adoption.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Passed) 2009-10-11 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 492, Statutes of 2009. [AB941 Detail]

Download: California-2009-AB941-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 941	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Committee on Judiciary (Feuer (Chair), Brownley,
Evans, Jones, Krekorian, Lieu, and Monning)

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2009

   An act to amend Section 51 of the Civil Code, relating to civil
rights.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 941, as introduced, Committee on Judiciary. Civil rights.
   The Unruh Civil Rights Act provides that all persons within the
jurisdiction of this state are free and equal, and no matter what
their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin,
disability, medical condition, marital status, or sexual orientation
are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages,
facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments of
every kind whatsoever.
   This bill would instead provide that all persons within the
jurisdiction of this state are free and equal, and no matter what
their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin,
disability, medical condition, marital status, or sexual orientation
are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages,
facilities, privileges, and services in all business establishments
of every kind whatsoever.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 51 of the Civil Code is amended to read:
   51.  (a) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the
Unruh Civil Rights Act.
   (b) All persons within the jurisdiction of this state are free and
equal, and no matter what their sex, race, color, religion,
ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, marital
status, or sexual orientation are entitled to the full and equal
accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges,  or
  and  services in all business establishments of
every kind whatsoever.
   (c) This section shall not be construed to confer any right or
privilege on a person that is conditioned or limited by law or that
is applicable alike to persons of every sex, color, race, religion,
ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, marital
status, or sexual orientation.
   (d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require any
construction, alteration, repair, structural or otherwise, or
modification of any sort whatsoever, beyond that construction,
alteration, repair, or modification that is otherwise required by
other provisions of law, to any new or existing establishment,
facility, building, improvement, or any other structure, nor shall
anything in this section be construed to augment, restrict, or alter
in any way the authority of the State Architect to require
construction, alteration, repair, or modifications that the State
Architect otherwise possesses pursuant to other laws.
   (e) For purposes of this section:
   (1) "Disability" means any mental or physical disability as
defined in Sections 12926 and 12926.1 of the Government Code.
   (2) "Medical condition" has the same meaning as defined in
subdivision (h) of Section 12926 of the Government Code.
   (3) "Religion" includes all aspects of religious belief,
observance, and practice.
   (4) "Sex" has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (p) of
Section 12926 of the Government Code.
   (5) "Sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin,
disability, medical condition, marital status, or sexual orientation"
includes a perception that the person has any particular
characteristic or characteristics within the listed categories or
that the person is associated with a person who has, or is perceived
to have, any particular characteristic or characteristics within the
listed categories.
   (6) "Sexual orientation" has the same meaning as defined in
subdivision (q) of Section 12926 of the Government Code.
   (f) A violation of the right of any individual under the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336) shall also
constitute a violation of this section.