HB 0143A 2003
   
1 A bill to be entitled
2          An act relating to the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992;
3    providing that this act shall be known by the popular name
4    the "Dr. Marvin Davies Florida Civil Rights Act"; creating
5    s. 760.021, F.S.; authorizing the Attorney General to
6    commence against a person or group perpetuating
7    discriminatory practices; providing for damages,
8    injunctive relief, and civil penalties; providing for
9    venue; providing for a hearing to determine a prima facie
10    case; providing for attorney’s fees and costs; amending s.
11    16.57, F.S.; authorizing the Attorney General to
12    investigate violations under ch. 760, F.S.; amending s.
13    760.02, F.S.; defining “public accommodations”; creating
14    760.08, F.S.; making unlawful discrimination or
15    segregation in places of public accommodation; providing
16    for construction of the act in pari materia with laws
17    enacted during the 2003 Regular Session of the
18    Legislature; providing an effective date.
19         
20          Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21         
22          Section 1. This act shall be known by the popular name the
23    "Dr. Marvin Davies Florida Civil Rights Act."
24          Section 2. Section 760.021, Florida Statutes, is created
25    to read:
26          760.021 Enforcement.--
27          (1) The Attorney General may commence a civil action for
28    damages, injunctive relief, civil penalties not to exceed
29    $10,000 per violation, and such other relief as may be
30    appropriate under the laws of this state if the Attorney General
31    has reasonable cause to believe that any person or group:
32          (a) Has engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination
33    as defined by the laws of this state; or
34          (b) Has been discriminated against as defined by the laws
35    of this state and such discrimination raises an issue of great
36    public interest.
37          (2) The Attorney General may file an action under this
38    section in the circuit court of the county where the cause of
39    action arises or in the circuit court of the Second Judicial
40    Circuit, in and for Leon County.
41          (3) In any proceeding under this section, the respondent
42    may request, before any responsive pleading is due, that a
43    hearing be held no earlier than 5 days but no more than 30 days
44    after the filing of the complaint, at which hearing the court
45    shall determine whether the complaint on its face makes a prima
46    facie showing that a pattern or practice of discrimination
47    exists or that, as a result of discrimination, an issue of great
48    public interest exists.
49          (4) The prevailing party in an action brought under this
50    section is entitled to an award of reasonable attorney’s fees
51    and costs.
52          (5) Any damages recovered under this section shall accrue
53    to the injured party.
54          Section 3. Section 16.57, Florida Statutes, is amended to
55    read:
56          16.57 Office of Civil Rights.--There is created in the
57    Department of Legal Affairs an Office of Civil Rights. The
58    office may investigate and initiate actions authorized by
59    chapter 760s. 760.51. In investigating violations of
60    constitutional and statutory rights under chapter 760s. 760.51,
61    the Attorney General may administer oaths and affirmations,
62    subpoena witnesses or matter, and collect evidence.
63          Section 4. Subsection (11) is added to section 760.02,
64    Florida Statutes, to read:
65          760.02 Definitions.--For the purposes of ss. 760.01-760.11
66    and 509.092, the term:
67          (11) “Public accommodations” means places of public
68    accommodation, lodgings, facilities principally engaged in
69    selling food for consumption on the premises, gasoline stations,
70    places of exhibition or entertainment, and other covered
71    establishments. Each of the following establishments which
72    serves the public is a place of public accommodation within the
73    meaning of this section:
74          (a) Any inn, hotel, motel, or other establishment which
75    provides lodging to transient guests, other than an
76    establishment located within a building which contains not more
77    than four rooms for rent or hire and which is actually occupied
78    by the proprietor of such establishment as his or her residence.
79          (b) Any restaurant, cafeteria, lunchroom, lunch counter,
80    soda fountain, or other facility principally engaged in selling
81    food for consumption on the premises, including, but not limited
82    to, any such facility located on the premises of any retail
83    establishment, or any gasoline station.
84          (c) Any motion picture theater, theater, concert hall,
85    sports arena, stadium, or other place of exhibition or
86    entertainment.
87          (d) Any establishment which is physically located within
88    the premises of any establishment otherwise covered by this
89    subsection, or within the premises of which is physically
90    located any such covered establishment, and which holds itself
91    out as serving patrons of such covered establishment.
92          Section 5. Section 760.08, Florida Statutes, is created to
93    read:
94          760.08 Discrimination in places of public accommodation.--
95          All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of
96    the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and
97    accommodations of any place of public accommodation, as defined
98    in this chapter, without discrimination or segregation on the
99    ground of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, familial
100    status, or religion.
101          Section 6. If any law amended by this act was also amended
102    by a law enacted at the 2003 Regular Session of the Legislature,
103    such laws shall be construed as if they had been enacted at the
104    same session of the Legislature, and full effect shall be given
105    to each if possible.
106          Section 7. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.