Fiscal Note
No appropriation is required.
Title
SUBSTITUTE Amending Section 39.03(1) of the Madison General Ordinances to provide clarity in the Declaration of Policy.
Body
DRAFTER'S ANALYSIS: This ordinance amendment changes the declaration of policy to make it clear which protected classes are covered in the areas of housing, employment, and public accommodations.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
Subsection (1) entitled "Declaration of Policy" of Section 39.03 entitled "Equal Opportunities Ordinance" of the Madison General Ordinances is amended to read as follows:
"(1) Declaration of Policy. The practice of providing equal opportunities in housing, employment, public accommodations and City facilities to persons without regard to sex, race, religion, color, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, age, handicap/disability, marital status, source of income, arrest record, conviction record, less than honorable discharge, physical appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic identity, political beliefs, familial status, student status, domestic partnership status, receipt of assistance, unemployment or status as a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking is a desirable goal of the City of Madison and a matter of legitimate concern to its government. Discrimination against any of Madison's residents or visitors endangers the rights and privileges of all. The denial of equal opportunity intensifies group conflict, undermines the foundations of our democratic society, and adversely affects the general welfare of the community.
Denial of equal opportunity in employment deprives the community of the fullest productive capacity of those of its members so discriminated against and denies to them the sufficiency of earnings necessary to maintain the standards of living consistent with their abilities and talents.
The practice of providing equal opportunities in employment to persons without regard to sex, race, religion, color, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, age, handicap/disability, marital status, source of income, arrest record, conviction record, credit history, less than honorable discharge, physical appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity, political beliefs, familial status, student status, domestic partner status, receipt of rental assistance, the fact that the person declines to disclose their social security number or unemployment status is a desirable goal of the City of Madison and a matter of legitimate concern to its government. Therefore, a As a proper function of City government the City of Madison has provided in Sec. 39.02 for affirmative action in City employment to safeguard against discrimination.
Denial of equal opportunity in housing compels individuals and families who are discriminated against to live in dwellings below the standards to which they are entitled. The practice of providing equal opportunities in housing to persons without regard to sex, race, religion, color, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, age, handicap/disability, marital status, source of income, less than honorable discharge, physical appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity, political beliefs, familial status, student status, domestic partner status, receipt of rental assistance, the fact that the person declines to disclose their social security number, unemployment or status as a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking is a desirable goal of the City of Madison and a matter of legitimate concern to its government.
Denial of equal opportunity in public accommodations subjects those discriminated against to embarrassment and creates distress and unrest within the community. The practice of providing equal opportunities in public accommodations to persons without regard to sex, race, religion, color, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, age, handicap/disability, marital status, source of income, arrest record, conviction record, less than honorable discharge, physical appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic identity, political beliefs, familial status, student status, domestic partner status, receipt of rental assistance, the fact that the person declines to disclose their social security number, or unemployment status is a desirable goal of the City of Madison and a matter of legitimate concern to its government. Provision for adequate safeguards against such discrimination is a proper and necessary function of City government. In order that the peace, freedom, safety and general welfare of all inhabitants of the City may be protected and ensured, it is hereby declared to be the public policy of the City of Madison to foster and enforce to the fullest extent the protection by law of the rights of all of its inhabitants to equal opportunity to gainful employment, housing, and the use of City facilities and public accommodations. without regard to sex, race, religion, color, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, age, handicap/disability, marital status, source of income, arrest record, conviction record, less than honorable discharge, physical appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic identity, political beliefs, familial status, student status, domestic partnership status, or status as a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.
To fully effectuate this policy of promoting nondiscrimination, the City shall endeavor to eliminate all discrimination that may occur in its own employment, housing, and public accommodation practices and in the use of City facilities. By adopting Sec. 39.05 of these ordinances, the Common Council has attempted to make sure that City facilities and programs that receive City financial assistance are accessible to all persons, including persons with disabilities. The City will deal positively and constructively with all claims of discrimination filed against it through utilization of the procedures outlined in this ordinance."