Title
Ordinance amending Pittsburgh Code, Title Six: Conduct, Article V: Discrimination, Chapter 659.04 Unlawful Public Accommodation Practices enforced by the Commission on Human Relations to include additional protections.
Body
WHEREAS, the Commission on Human Relations enforces the City’s anti-discrimination ordinance and works to remedy unlawful practices; and
WHEREAS, the Commission on Human Relations has a duty to recommend legislation to promote and insure equal rights and opportunities for all persons; and
WHEREAS, Discrimination in places of public accommodations, resort, recreation, amusement and places of business causes humiliation, embarrassments, and inconvenience to residents and visitors of the city, tends to create breaches of the peace, intergroup tension and conflicts and similar evils and is detrimental to the public safety, general welfare and economic growth of the city (PCC 659.01); and
WHEREAS, there is a need to ensure that persons who file complaints, serve as witnesses or otherwise cooperate with proceedings before the Commission shall not be retaliated against; and
WHEREAS, there is a need to expand unlawful practices to include verbal discriminatory communications,
THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED, that the Pittsburgh Code, Article V: Discrimination, Chapter 659.04 Unlawful Public Accommodation Practices enforced by the Commission on Human Relations be amended as follows:
§ 659.04 - UNLAWFUL PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS PRACTICES.
It shall be an unlawful public accommodation practice for the owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent or employee of any business or place of public accommodation, resort, recreation or amusement to:
(a) Refuse, withhold from or deny to any person because of his race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, sex, sexual orientation, handicap or disability or use of support animals because of the handicap or disability of the user, either directly or indirectly, any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, services or privileges, products or goods in such place of public accommodation, resort or amusement.
(b) Publish, circulate, issue, display, post or mail, either directly or indirectly, any printed, verbal, or written communication, notice or advertisement to the effect that indicates any preference, limitation, specification, or discrimination of any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods, products, services and privileges of any such place shall be refused, withheld or denied to any person on account of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, sex, sexual orientation, handicap or disability or use of support animals because of the handicap or disability of the user, or that the patronage of any person of any particular race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, sex, handicap or disability or use of guide dogs because of the blindness of the user, is unwelcome, objectionable, or not acceptable, desired or solicited.
(Ord. 13-1980, eff. 8-8-80; Am. Ord. 2-1990, eff. 4-3-90; Am. Ord. 3-1997, eff. 2-7-97)
(c) Aid, incite, compel, coerce or participate in the doing of any act declared to be an unlawful public accommodations practice under this Article, whether such person is included by reference or not.
(d) Discriminate against any person because he or she has opposed any practice forbidden by this Article or because he or she has made a complaint or testifies or assisted in any manner in any investigation or proceeding under this Article.