Texas HB 1012: Relating to the prohibition of certain discrimination; authorizing civil penalties.

Bill Text

By:AAGonz ̃lezof DallasH.B.ANo.A1012
A BILLTO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relatingto the prohibitionof certaindiscrimination;authorizing
civilpenalties.
BE IT ENACTEDBY THE LEGISLATUREOF THE STATEOF TEXAS:
SECTION
A1.AASubtitleC, Title5, Business& CommerceCode,is
amendedby addingChapter101Ato readas follows:
CHAPTER101A.DISCRIMINATIONIN PLACESOF PUBLICACCOMMODATION
SUBCHAPTERA. GENERALPROVISIONS
Sec.
A101A.001.AADEFINITIONS.In thischapter:
(1)
AA"Commission"meanstheTexasWorkforce
Commission.
(2)
AA"Complainant"meansan individualwhobringsan
actionor proceedingunderthischapter.
(3)
AA"Discriminatorypractice"meansan act prohibited
by thischapter.
(4)
AA"Executivedirector"meansthe executivedirector
of the commission.
(5)
AA"Genderidentity"meansthegender-related
identity,appearance,or othergender-relatedcharacteristicsof
an individualwithor withoutregardto the individual
’s designated
sex at birth.
(6)
AA"Militaryveteran"meansa personwho:
(A)
AAhas servedin:
(i)
AAthe armedforcesof the UnitedStatesor
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88R516KSD-D1

the UnitedStatesPublicHealthServiceunder42 U.S.C.Section201
et seq.;
(ii)
AAthe statemilitaryforces,as defined
by Section431.001,GovernmentCode;or
(iii)
AAan auxiliaryserviceof a branchof
the armedforcesdescribedby Subparagraph(i) or (ii);and
(B)
AAhas beenhonorablydischargedfromthe branch
of the servicein whichthe personserved.
(7)
AA"Person"means:
(A)
AAan individual;
(B)
AAa  corporation,partnership,association,
unincorporatedorganization,labororganization,mutualcompany,
joint-stockcompany,and trust;and
(C)
AAa legalrepresentative,a trustee,a trustee
in a caseunderTitle11, U.S.C.,a receiver,and a fiduciary.
(8)
AA"Publicaccommodation"meansa businessor other
entitythatoffersto thepublicanygood,service,privilege,
facility,or accommodation.
(9)
AA"Respondent"meansa personchargedin a complaint
filedunderthischapter.
(10)
AA"Sexualorientation"meansan individual’s actual
or perceivedheterosexuality,bisexuality,or homosexuality.
Sec.
A101A.002.AARULES.Thecommissionmayadoptrules
necessaryto implementthischapter.
SUBCHAPTERB. DISCRIMINATIONIN PUBLICACCOMMODATIONSPROHIBITED
Sec.
A101A.051.AAPUBLICACCOMMODATIONS.(a)A  person
engagesin a discriminatorypracticeand violatesthischapterif
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H.B.
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the person,becauseof the race,color,disability,religion,sex,
nationalorigin,age,sexualorientation,or genderidentityof an
individual,or becauseof theindividual
’s statusas a military
veteran:
(1)
AArefuses,withholds,or deniesthatindividualfull
andequalaccommodationin anyplaceof publicaccommodationin
thisstate;
(2)
AApublishes,circulates,issues,displays,posts,
or mails,eitherdirectlyor indirectly,any communication,notice,
or advertisementto the effectthatany good,service,privilege,
facility,or accommodationof a placeof publicaccommodationin
thisstatewillbe refused,withheld,or denied;or
(3)
AAotherwisediscriminatesagainstor segregatesor
separatesthe individualin a placeof publicaccommodationbased
on race,color,disability,religion,sex,nationalorigin,age,
sexualorientation,or genderidentityor basedon the individual
’s
statusas a militaryveteran.
(b)
AAThissectiondoesnot applyto a privateclub,a placeof
accommodationownedby  or  operatedon  behalfof  a  religious
corporation,association,or societythatis not in factopento the
public,or any otherestablishmentthatis not in factopento the
public.
(c)
AAThissectiondoesnotprohibittheprovisionof  a
specialbenefit,incentive,discount,or  promotionthrougha
privateor publicprogramto assistpersonswho:
(1)
AAare 50 yearsof age or older;or
(2)
AAaremilitaryveteransorfamilymembersof
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H.B.
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militaryveterans.
(d)
AAThissectiondoesnotsupersedeor interferewithany
statelaw or localordinancethatprohibitsa personunderthe age
of 21 fromenteringa placeof publicaccommodation.
SUBCHAPTERC. ADMINISTRATIVEENFORCEMENT
Sec.
A101A.101.AAFILINGOF  COMPLAINT;FORMANDCONTENT;
SERVICE.(a)A personclaimingto be aggrievedby an alleged
discriminatorypracticeor the person
’s agentmay filea complaint
withthe commission.
(b)
AAThe complaintmustbe in writingand madeunderoath.
(c)
AAThe complaintmuststate:
(1)
AAthata discriminatorypracticehas beencommitted;
(2)
AAthefactson  whichthecomplaintis  based,
includingthedate,place,andcircumstancesof  thealleged
discriminatorypractice;and
(3)
AAfactssufficientto  enablethecommissionto
identifythe respondent.
(d)
AATheexecutivedirectoror  theexecutivedirector’s
designeeshallservetherespondentwitha copyof theperfected
complaintnot laterthanthe 10thday afterthe datethe complaint
is filed.
(e)
AAA complaintmay be amendedto curetechnicaldefectsor
omissions,includinga failureto verifythecomplaintor to
clarifyand amplifyan allegationmadein the complaint.
(f)
AAAn amendmentto a complaintallegingadditionalfacts
thatconstitutediscriminatorypracticesrelatingto or arising
from