PASSED

This enacted bill amends Philadelphia’s Fair Practices Ordinance to replace “handicap” with disability and add protections based on domestic or sexual violence victim status, familial status, and genetic information. It also broadens protections against discrimination in employment, housing, commercial and other real property, and public accommodations, while revising complaint procedures and the remedies available through the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.

Amending Chapter 9-1100 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Fair Practices," by changing the title to "Fair Practices Ordinance: Protections Against Unlawful Discrimination," by replacing "handicap" with disability as a protected status, by adding domestic or sexual violence victim status, familial status, and genetic information to the prohibited bases for discrimination; by amending the definition of discrimination, employer, life partnership, public accommodation and other terms, and by adding or deleting other definitions; by narrowing certain exemptions with respect to employment preferences; by amending the prohibition against housing discrimination to include commercial property and real property; by reordering and clarifying the complaint, mediation and hearing procedures of the Commission; by amending and clarifying the remedies available to the Commission upon a finding of a violation; and by changing the order of sections and making other changes, all under certain terms an...