FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS; ANTI-DISCRIMINATION

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text does not provide specific details about enforcement mechanisms or penalties for violations.

Fundamental Rights Protection Act

This act adds protections against discrimination based on personal characteristics in various aspects of life.

What This Bill Does

• Adds a new section to the Alaska Statutes that prohibits denying someone certain rights based on their race, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, or housing status.
• Requires equal access to public spaces and medical care for all individuals without discrimination.
• Guarantees the right to gainful employment and clean living conditions for everyone regardless of personal characteristics.
• Protects individuals' privacy in medical settings and their ability to give informed consent.
• Ensures that people can accept, offer, or eat food in public spaces without facing discrimination.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who might face discrimination based on race, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, or housing status.
• Businesses and organizations that provide services to the public.
• Government agencies responsible for enforcing these protections.

Terms To Know

Prevailing plaintiff

A person who wins a lawsuit under this act can be called a prevailing plaintiff. They may receive compensation and legal fees if they win the case.

Injunctive relief

This is an order from a court that stops someone from doing something harmful or forces them to do something beneficial, like ending discrimination practices.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how it will be enforced or what penalties might apply for violations.
• It's unclear if there are any exceptions to the protections provided by this act in certain situations.

Official Summary Text

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS; ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
An Act relating to fundamental rights.

Current Bill Text

SB0119A -1- SB 119
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0172\A

SENATE BILL NO. 119

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON

Introduced: 3/5/25
Referred: State Affairs, Judiciary

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to fundamental rights." 1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 2
* Section 1. AS 18.95 is amended by adding a new section to read: 3
Sec. 18.95.050. Fundamental rights. (a) A person may not deny another 4
person, based on race, religion, color, national origin, age, p hysical or mental 5
disability, sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, or housing status, the 6
following: 7
(1) access to and use of public spaces in a manner allowed by law; 8
(2) medical and dental care; 9
(3) gainful employment to suppor t independence and community 10
living; 11
(4) documentation to meet voter eligibility requirements; 12
(5) clean, safe, and sanitary living conditions, including acc ess to a 13
trash receptacle, toilet, and shower; 14
(6) medical privacy as provided by law; 15
34-LS0172\A
SB 119 -2- SB0119A
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

(7) reasonable privacy and autonomy, including the right to gi ve 1
informed consent; 2
(8) reasonable accommodation in the interest of family unity a nd 3
support when applicable and appropriate; 4
(9) equal treatment, without har assment, mistreatment, or fear o f 5
retribution from public servants; 6
(10) the ability to accept, offer, and eat food in a public space; 7
(11) access to and participation or non-participation in a rel igious 8
community of the individual's choosing; 9
(12) occupation of a legally parked vehicle or legally anchore d, 10
moored, or stored watercraft b elonging to the individual or to a person who has given 11
the individual permission to occupy the vehicle or watercraft; and 12
(13) the ability to rest or seek shelter from the elements in a public 13
space if doing so does not obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic. 14
(b) In a civil action for viola tion of this section, a court m a y a w a r d a 15
prevailing plaintiff injunctive and declaratory relief, actual damages, and attorney fees 16
and costs. 17