2008 Legislation
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SENATE BILL NO. 1283<br /> – Human Rights Comm action, atty fees

SENATE BILL NO. 1283

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Bill Status



S1283......................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Amends existing law to provide that a district
court may issue an order for reasonable attorney's fees in a civil action
filed by the Human Rights Commission or filed by a person alleging unlawful
discrimination.

01/16    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/17    Rpt prt - to Jud

Bill Text




                                                                       
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2008

                                                                       

                                       IN THE SENATE

                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1283

                                 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION; AMENDING SECTION 67-5908, IDAHO CODE,
  3        TO PROVIDE THAT A DISTRICT COURT MAY ISSUE AN ORDER FOR REASONABLE  ATTOR-
  4        NEY'S FEES IN A CIVIL ACTION FILED BY THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OR FILED
  5        BY A PERSON ALLEGING UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION.

  6    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

  7        SECTION 1.  That Section 67-5908, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
  8    amended to read as follows:

  9        67-5908.  PROCEDURE IN DISTRICT COURT. (1) Any action filed by the commis-
 10    sion shall be heard by the district court unless either party shall move for a
 11    jury trial. Except as otherwise provided herein, the court shall hear the case
 12    and  grant  relief as in other civil actions. Any such action shall be brought
 13    in the name of the commission for the use of the person  alleging  discrimina-
 14    tion  or  a  described class, and the commission shall furnish counsel for the
 15    prosecution thereof. Any person aggrieved by the  alleged  discrimination  may
 16    intervene in such an action.
 17        (2)  A  complaint  must be filed with the commission as a condition prece-
 18    dent to litigation. A complainant may file a civil action  in  district  court
 19    within  ninety (90) days of issuance of the notice of administrative dismissal
 20    pursuant to section 67-5907(6), Idaho Code.
 21        (3)  In a civil action filed by the commission or filed  directly  by  the
 22    person alleging unlawful discrimination, if the court finds that unlawful dis-
 23    crimination  has occurred, its judgment shall specify an appropriate remedy or
 24    remedies therefor. Such remedies may include, but are not limited to:
 25        (a)  An order to cease and desist from the unlawful practice specified  in
 26        the order;
 27        (b)  An order to employ, reinstate, promote or grant other employment ben-
 28        efits to a victim of unlawful employment discrimination;
 29        (c)  An  order  for actual damages including lost wages and benefits, pro-
 30        vided that such back pay liability shall not accrue from a date more  than
 31        two  (2) years prior to the filing of the complaint with the commission or
 32        the district court, whichever occurs first;
 33        (d)  An order to accept or reinstate such a person in a union;
 34        (e)  An order for punitive damages, not to  exceed  one  thousand  dollars
 35        ($1,000) for each willful violation of this chapter;
 36        (f)  An order for reasonable attorney's fees.
 37        (4)  Any  civil  action  filed  by the commission under this section shall
 38    commence not more than one (1) year after a complaint of discrimination  under
 39    oath is filed with the commission.
 40        (5)  In  any civil action under this chapter, the burden of proof shall be
 41    on the person seeking relief.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 17355

The Idaho Human Rights Commission seeks to make explicit in Idaho
Code  67-5908 that an order of reasonable attorney's fees is a
remedy available to a plaintiff who proves discrimination or
retaliation in violation of the Idaho Human Rights Act.

In April, 2007, the Idaho supreme Court issued a decision in Stout
v. Key Training Corporation, 144 Idaho 195, 158 P.3d 971 (2007), a
case of sex discrimination in employment brought under the Idaho
Human Rights Act, Idaho Code  67-5901, et seq.  A jury found in
Ms. Stout's favor, but the trial judge denied her request for
attorney fees.  The Idaho supreme court affirmed the trial judge's
decision.  The court said that attorney fees are not recoverable
under the state statute.  The court reasoned that the federal
statute (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) explicitly
states that attorney fees are recoverable, and the state statute
does not.  The Court contrasted the language of the Idaho Human
Rights Act, which contains no mention of attorney fees with the
language of the Idaho Consumer Protection Act which contains a
specific section allowing the recovery of attorney fees.

The Idaho Human Rights Act is intended "[t]o provide for execution
within the state of the policies embodied in the federal Civil
Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and the Age Discrimination in
Employment Act of 1967, as amended, and Titles I and III of the
Americans with Disabilities Act."  Idaho Code  67-5901.  The Civil
Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and
the Americans with Disabilities Act each allow an award of attorney
fees to a successful plaintiff.  The state statute is currently
inconsistent with the federal anti-discrimination statutes.  It is
also inconsistent with other state law.  A plaintiff who is
discharged from a job for a reason in violation of public policy
may recover attorney fees, but a plaintiff who is discharged from
a job for an unlawful discriminatory reason may not.  Stout.  158
P.3d at 974.


                           FISCAL NOTE

None.



Contact:  Leslie Goddard
Agency:   Human Rights Commission
Phone:    334-2873


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                           S 1283