Bill > S381

This bill is comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation that expands legal protections against discrimination across multiple areas of North Carolina state law, including housing, employment, public accommodations, credit, insurance, education, and jury service. The bill introduces a new definition of "protected status" which includes race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, and genetic information. Key changes include reducing the employee threshold for discrimination protections from 15 to one employee, adding sexual orientation and gender identity to protected categories, and requiring the North Carolina Human Relations Commission to investigate and attempt to resolve discrimination complaints. The bill modifies existing laws to prohibit discrimination in areas such as real estate transactions, lending, insurance, school admissions, and employment, with provisions that allow individuals who believe they have experienced discrimination to file complaints with the Human Relations Commission. The bill provides a mechanism for resolving these complaints through conciliation or potential enforcement actions, and it establishes that discrimination in various contexts constitutes an unfair practice. The legislation is set to become effective on July 1, 2025, and represents a significant expansion of anti-discrimination protections in North Carolina.

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S381