DELAWARE STATE SENATE

150th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 63

AS AMENDED BY

SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 1

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 6 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE EQUAL ACCOMMODATIONS LAW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 4504, Title 6 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 4504. Unlawful practices.

(a)(1) No person being the owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, director, supervisor, superintendent, agent, or employee of any place of public accommodation, may directly or indirectly refuse, withhold from, or deny to any person, on account of race, age, marital status, creed, color, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, any of the accommodations, facilities, advantages, or privileges thereof.

(2) A place of public accommodation may provide reasonable accommodations based on gender identity in areas of facilities where disrobing is likely, such as locker rooms or other changing facilities, which reasonable accommodations may include a separate or private place for the use of persons whose gender-related identity, appearance or expression is different from their assigned sex at birth, provided that such reasonable accommodations are not inconsistent with the gender-related identity of such persons.

(3) A place of public accommodation must permit service animals as follows:

a. An individual with a disability accompanied by a service animal in any place of public accommodation.

b. An individual training a service animal to be used by persons with disabilities accompanied by a service animal in any place of public accommodation.

(b) No person, being the owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent or employee of any place of public accommodation, shall directly or indirectly publish, issue, circulate, post or display any written, typewritten, mimeographed, printed or radio communications notice or advertisement to the effect that any of the accommodations, facilities, advantages and privileges of any place of public accommodation shall be refused, withheld from or denied to any person on account of race, age, marital status, creed, color, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin, or that the patronage or custom thereat of any person belonging to or purporting to be appearing to be of any particular race, age, marital status, creed, color, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin is unlawful, objectionable, or not acceptable, desired, accommodated or solicited, or that the patronage of persons of any particular race, age, marital status, creed, color, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin is preferred or is particularly welcomed, desired or solicited.

(c) It shall be unlawful to assist, induce, incite or coerce another person to commit any discriminatory public accommodations practice prohibited by subsection (a) or (b) of this section.

(d) Requirements for newly constructed places of public accommodation. — All buildings which are constructed after January 1, 2011, and intended for use as places of public accommodation (as defined in § 4502 of this title), must be equipped with an automatic door or calling device at each entrance that is intended to be a main entrance accessible by members of the general public. For purposes of this subsection, a calling device shall mean any device that allows a person with a disability to request assistance with entry meeting the following minimum specifications:

(1) The device must provide a recognizable signal inside the place of public accommodation;

(2) The device must be capable of being operated using only 1 hand or limb;

(3) The device must have at least 1 sign next to it which identifies the device and how to use it; and

(4) The device must be capable of being operated in accordance with all requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act [42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.] Accessibility Guidelines.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as an abrogation of any requirements otherwise imposed by applicable federal or state laws or regulations.

(f) A person, being the owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, director, supervisor, superintendent, agent, or employee of any place of public accommodation, may not engage in an act or practice that is unlawful under subsections (a) through (d) of this section against an individual because the individual has done one of the following:

(1) Opposed an act or practice that is unlawful under subsections (a) through (d) of this section.

(2) Made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing to enforce subsections (a) through (d) of this section.