Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes and Consolidated Statutes Currentness. Title 43 P.S. Labor. Chapter 17. Human Relations.

§ 952. Findings and declaration of policy

(a) The practice or policy of discrimination against individuals or groups by reason of their race, color, familial status, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, handicap or disability, use of guide or support animals because of the blindness, deafness or physical handicap of the user or because the user is a handler or trainer of support or guide animals is a matter of concern of the Commonwealth. Such discrimination foments domestic strife and unrest, threatens the rights and privileges of the inhabitants of the Commonwealth, and undermines the foundations of a free democratic state. The denial of equal employment, housing and public accommodation opportunities because of such discrimination, and the consequent failure to utilize the productive capacities of individuals to their fullest extent, deprives large segments of the population of the Commonwealth of earnings necessary to maintain decent standards of living, necessitates their resort to public relief and intensifies group conflicts, thereby resulting in grave injury to the public health and welfare, compels many individuals to live in dwellings which are substandard, unhealthful and overcrowded, resulting in racial segregation in public schools and other community facilities, juvenile delinquency and other evils, thereby threatening the peace, health, safety and general welfare of the Commonwealth and its inhabitants.

(b) It is hereby declared to be the public policy of this Commonwealth to foster the employment of all individuals in accordance with their fullest capacities regardless of their race, color, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, handicap or disability, use of guide or support animals because of the blindness, deafness or physical handicap of the user or because the user is a handler or trainer of support or guide animals, and to safeguard their right to obtain and hold employment without such discrimination, to assure equal opportunities to all individuals and to safeguard their rights to public accommodation and to secure housing accommodation and commercial property regardless of race, color, familial status, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, handicap or disability, use of guide or support animals because of blindness or deafness of the user or because the user is a handler or trainer of guide or support animals.

(c) This act shall be deemed an exercise of the police power of the Commonwealth for the protection of the public welfare, prosperity, health and peace of the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

CREDIT(S)

1955, Oct. 27, P.L. 744, No. 222, § 2. As amended 1961, Feb. 28, P.L. 47, § 1; 1967, Aug. 11, P.L. 208, § 1; 1969, July 9, P.L. 133, No. 56, § 1; 1974, Dec. 19, P.L. 966, No. 318, § 1, imd. effective; 1982, April 8, P.L. 284, No. 80, § 1, imd. effective; 1986, Dec. 16, P.L. 1626, No. 186, § 1, imd. effective; 1991, Dec. 20, P.L. 414, No. 51, § 2, imd. effective.

 

 

§ 953. Right to freedom from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation

The opportunity for an individual to obtain employment for which he is qualified, and to obtain all the accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of any public accommodation and of any housing accommodation and commercial property without discrimination because of race, color, familial status, religious creed, ancestry, handicap or disability, age, sex, national origin, the use of a guide or support animal because of the blindness, deafness or physical handicap of the user or because the user is a handler or trainer of support or guide animals is hereby recognized as and declared to be a civil right which shall be enforceable as set forth in this act.

CREDIT(S)

1955, Oct. 27, P.L. 744, No. 222, § 3. Amended 1961, Feb. 28, P.L. 47, § 1; 1967, Aug. 11, P.L. 208, § 1; 1969, July 9, P.L. 133, No. 56, § 1; 1974, Dec. 19, P.L. 966, No. 318, § 1, imd. effective; 1982, April 8, P.L. 284, No. 80, § 1, imd. effective; 1986, Dec. 16, P.L. 1626, No. 186, § 1, imd. effective; 1991, Dec. 20, P.L. 414, No. 51, § 2, imd. effective.