AS Title 18, Chapter 80: State Commission for Human Rights

Article 1. Creation and Organization of Commission. Chapter 80. State Commission for Human Rights. Sec. 18.80.010. Creation. There is created in the office of the governor a State Commission for Human Rights. Sec. 18.80.020. Composition and appointment. The commission consists of seven commissioners, appointed by the governor for staggered terms of five years, and confirmed by the legislature. Sec. 18.80.030. Chairman of commission. The commission shall elect one of its members as chairman. Sec. 18.80.040. Commission meetings. The commission shall hold a regular annual meeting and shall hold special meetings as necessitated by AS 18.80.120 . Sec. 18.80.050. Regulations. (a) The commission shall adopt procedural and substantive regulations necessary to implement this chapter. (b) The commission shall adopt regulations relating to discrimination because of physical and mental disability. The regulations must furnish guidance concerning the circumstances under which it is necessary to make a reasonable accommodation for a physically or mentally disabled person when providing employment, financing or credit, public accommodations, the sale or rental of real property, or other goods, services, facilities, advantages, or privileges under this chapter. Sec. 18.80.060. Powers and duties of the commission. (a) In addition to the other powers and duties prescribed by this chapter, the commission shall (1) appoint an executive director approved by the governor; (2) hire other administrative staff as may be necessary to the commission's function; (3) exercise general supervision and direct the activities of the executive director and other administrative staff; (4) accept complaints under AS 18.80.100 ; (5) study the problems of discrimination in all or specific fields of human relationships, foster through community effort or goodwill, cooperation and conciliation among the groups and elements of the population of the state, and publish results of investigations and research as in its judgment will tend to eliminate discrimination because of race, religion, color, national ancestry, physical or mental disability, age, sex, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, or parenthood; (6) make an overall assessment, at least once every three years, of the progress made toward equal employment opportunity by every department of state government; results of the assessment shall be included in the annual report made under AS 18.80.150 . (b) In addition to other powers and duties prescribed by this chapter, the commission may (1) delegate to the executive director all powers and duties given it by this chapter except the duties and powers given it by AS 18.80.120 and 18.80.130; (2) call upon the departments and agencies of the state, with the approval of the governor, for cooperation and assistance in carrying out this chapter; (3) hold hearings under AS 18.80.120 ; (4) establish the amount and manner of payment of fees for educational services, information, and materials that the commission provides to public and private organizations and other persons. (c) A commissioner or an employee authorized by the commission may administer oaths, certify to all official acts, and issue subpoenas, subpoenas duces tecum, and other process to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of testimony, records, papers, accounts, and documents in any inquiry, investigation, hearing, or proceeding before the commission in the state. The commission, a commissioner, or an employee authorized by the commission may petition a court of this state to enforce its subpoenas, subpoenas duces tecum, and other process. Sec. 18.80.070. Compensation. The members of the commission are authorized per diem and travel allowances allowable to members of other boards and commissions. Sec. 18.80.075. Legal counsel. (a) The attorney general is the legal counsel for the commission. The attorney general shall advise the commission in legal matters arising in the discharge of its duties, shall assist in the preparation and presentation of complaints to the commission, and shall represent the commission in legal actions to which it is a party. (b) The commission may employ temporary legal counsel for proceedings before the commission and court actions involving the commission in which proceedings or actions the attorney general is representing another agency of the state government. Article 2. Commission Investigation and Hearing. Sec. 18.80.100. Complaint; withdrawal. (a) A person who is aggrieved by a discriminatory practice prohibited by this chapter may sign and file with the commission a written, verified complaint stating the name and address of the person alleged to have engaged in the discriminatory practice, and the particulars of the discrimination. A complainant may withdraw the complaint at any time before the service of an accusation under AS 18.80.120 . A withdrawal must be signed by the complainant and be in writing. A withdrawal does not limit the discretion of the executive director provided in (b) of this section. (b) The executive director may file a complaint in the manner provided in (a) of this section when a discriminatory practice comes to the attention of the executive director. Sec. 18.80.105. Temporary restraining order. At any time after a complaint is filed under AS 18.80.100 , alleging an unlawful discriminatory practice, the commission may file a petition in the superior court in the judicial district in which the subject of the complaint occurs, or in the judicial district in which a respondent resides or transacts business, seeking appropriate temporary relief against the respondent, pending final determination of proceedings under this chapter, including an order or decree restraining the respondent from doing or procuring any act tending to render ineffectual any order the commission may enter with respect to the complaint. The court has the power to grant the temporary relief or restraining order it considers just and proper; however, no relief or order extending beyond 10 days may be granted except by consent of the respondent or after hearing upon notice to the respondent and a finding by the court that there is reasonable cause to believe that the respondent has engaged in discriminatory practices. Sec. 18.80.110. Investigation and conciliation. The executive director or a member of the commission's staff designated by the executive director shall informally investigate the matters set out in a filed complaint, promptly and impartially. If the investigator determines that there is substantial evidence of an unlawful discriminatory practice under this chapter, the investigator shall immediately try to eliminate or remedy the discriminatory practice through an agreement reached by conference, conciliation, and persuasion. If an agreement is reached, it must be reduced to writing and signed by the complainant, executive director, and respondent. The agreement is binding and enforceable under this chapter as an order of the commission. An agreement reached under this section may include the compromise of damages authorized under this chapter. Sec. 18.80.112. Dismissal of complaint without prejudice. (a) If an investigation of a complaint under AS 18.80.110 fails to discover substantial evidence of an unlawful discriminatory practice under this chapter, the executive director shall issue an order dismissing the complaint without prejudice. (b) At any time before the issuance of an accusation under AS 18.80.120 , the executive director may dismiss without prejudice a complaint if the executive director determines that (1) the complainant's objection to a proposed agreement under AS 18.80.110 is unreasonable; (2) the complainant is unavailable or unwilling to participate in a hearing; (3) relief is precluded by the absence of the person alleged to have engaged in the discriminatory practice; (4) the person aggrieved by the discriminatory practice has initiated or has notified in writing the commission of the intent to initiate an action or proceeding in another forum based on the same facts; (5) a hearing will not represent the best use of commission resources; (6) a hearing will not advance the purposes stated in AS 18.80.200 ; or (7) the probability of success of the complaint on the merits is low. (c) The commission, in its discretion, may, but is not required to, review the executive director's order of dismissal under (a) or (b) of this section and may affirm the order, remand the complaint for further investigation, or, if the commission concludes that substantial evidence supports the complaint of an unlawful discriminatory practice, refer the complaint for conference, conciliation, and persuasion as provided in AS 18.80.110 , or for hearing. (d) Dismissal under this section does not prevent a complainant from (1) initiating an action or proceeding in another forum; or (2) filing a new complaint under AS 18.80.100 that resolves the grounds for the dismissal under this section. Sec. 18.80.115. Confidential information. Except as provided in AS 18.80.105 , the commission may not make public the name of a person initiating a complaint or a person alleged to have committed an act or practice declared unlawful in this chapter during an investigation conducted by the commission under AS 18.80.110 . The records of investigation and information obtained by the commission during an investigation under AS 18.80.110 are confidential and may not be made available by the commission for inspection by the public. However, the records and information compiled by the commission during an investigation shall be available to the complainant or respondent (1) at least 10 days before a hearing is held under AS 18.80.120 or upon receipt by the complainant or respondent under AS 18.80.120 of a notice of failure of conciliation under AS 18.80.110 , whichever occurs earlier; and (2) in accordance with the rules of discovery if an action relating to the charge is commenced in court. In addition, the commission may issue public statements describing or warning of a course of conduct that constitutes or will constitute an unlawful practice under this chapter, and the commission may also make information public if necessary to perform its duties or exercise its powers under AS 18.80.105 and 18.80.120 — 18.80.145. Sec. 18.80.120. Hearing. (a) If no agreement is reached under AS 18.80.110 and the executive director determines to refer the complaint for hearing, the executive director shall issue an accusation based on the investigator's determination of substantial evidence and serve the person charged in the accusation and the complainant with notice of the referral and a copy of the accusation. The executive director's decision to refer the complaint to hearing is not reviewable by the commission under this chapter. The location of the hearing is the commission office unless the commission designates another location. The executive director, or the executive director's designee, shall present the case in support of the accusation before the commission. The person charged in the accusation may file a written answer and may appear at the hearing, with or without counsel, and submit evidence. (b) The commission shall request the chief administrative law judge to appoint, under AS 44.64.020 , an administrative law judge employed or retained by the office of administrative hearings to preside over a hearing conducted under this section. AS 44.64.040 — 44.64.055, 44.64.070 — 44.64.200, and the procedures in AS 44.62.330 — 44.62.630 (Administrative Procedure Act) apply to the hearing except as otherwise provided in this chapter. (c) An accusation may be reasonably and fairly amended by the commission. An amendment to name a different discriminatory practice must be supported by substantial evidence, and the discriminatory practice must be referred for conference, conciliation, and persuasion as provided in AS 18.80.110 , before a hearing may proceed. (d) In a hearing on an accusation, each element of an accusation or defense must be proven by a preponderance of the evidence. (e) At any time after the issuance of an accusation, the executive director or the person charged in the accusation may petition for a summary decision on the accusation. The commission shall grant a petition if, after a reasonable opportunity for discovery, the record shows that there is no genuine issue of material fact and the petitioner is entitled to an order under AS 18.80.130 as a matter of law. Sec. 18.80.130. Order; interest rate. (a) At the completion of the hearing or after consideration of a petition for summary decision under AS 18.80.120 (e), if the commission finds that a person charged in an accusation has engaged in the discriminatory practice alleged in the accusation, it shall order the person to refrain from engaging in the discriminatory practice. The order must include findings of fact and may order the person to take affirmative action to correct the discriminatory practice. The commission may not order an award of noneconomic or punitive damages in a case. In a case involving a discriminatory practice in (1) employment, the commission may order any appropriate relief, including one or more of the following: training of an employer, labor organization, or employment agency, and its employees concerning discriminatory practices; an accommodation for a person with a disability; removal of or changes to a personnel record; posting of signs; back pay; the hiring, reinstatement, or upgrading of an employee with or without back pay; the payment of front pay for a period of not more than one year if hiring, reinstatement, or upgrading of an employee is inappropriate because a vacancy does not exist, the employer's discriminatory practice rendered the employee incapable of returning to work, or the relationship between the employer and employee has so deteriorated as to make working conditions intolerable; restoration to membership in a labor organization; admission to or participation in an apprenticeship training program, on-the-job training program, or other retraining program; or restoration of seniority; however, an order for back pay or front pay must be reduced by the amount the employee could have earned or could earn by making reasonably diligent efforts to obtain similar employment; (2) housing, the commission may order the sale, lease, or rental of the housing accommodation to the aggrieved person if it is still available, or the sale, lease, or rental of a like accommodation owned by the person charged in the accusation if one is still available, or the sale, lease, or rental of the next vacancy in a like accommodation, owned by the person charged in the accusation; the commission may award actual damages, which shall include the expenses incurred by the complainant for obtaining alternative housing or space; for storage of goods and effects; and for moving and other costs actually incurred as a result of the unlawful practice or violation. (b) The order may require a report on the manner of compliance. (c) If the commission finds that a person charged in an accusation has not engaged in the discriminatory practice alleged in the accusation, it shall issue and cause to be served on the complainant an order dismissing the complaint. (d) A copy of the order shall be filed in all cases with the attorney general of this state. (e) The commission may order payment of reasonable expenses, including reasonable attorney fees to any private party before the commission when the commission, in its discretion, determines the allowance is appropriate. (f) The interest rate for an award under this section is determined in the manner provided in AS 09.30.070 . Sec. 18.80.135. Judicial review and enforcement. (a) A complainant, or person against whom a complaint is filed or other person aggrieved by an order of the commission, may obtain judicial review of the order in accordance with AS 44.62.560 — 44.62.570. (b) The commission may obtain a court order for the enforcement of any of its orders by filing a complaint with the superior court in the judicial district in which the unlawful practice is alleged to have occurred. Sec. 18.80.140. Effect of compliance with order. Immediate and continuing compliance with all the terms of a commission order is a bar to criminal prosecution for the particular instances of discriminatory practice described in the accusation issued under AS 18.80.120 . Sec. 18.80.145. Intervention by State Commission for Human Rights. (a) When an action is brought under AS 22.10.020 (i), the plaintiff shall serve a copy of the complaint on the commission. Upon timely application, the commission may intervene as a party to the action as a matter of right. If the commission certifies in writing to the court that it is presently investigating or actively dealing with the act, practice, or policy of the defendant giving rise to the cause of action, the court shall, at the request of the commission, defer proceedings for a period of not more than 45 days or such extended period as the court may allow; except that the court may enter an order or injunction if necessary to prevent irreparable injury to the plaintiff. (b) If, within the period allowed, a hearing is conducted and a decision is reached under AS 18.80.120 and 18.80.130, the decision of the commission is binding on the parties to the court action as to all issues resolved in the hearing but not as to any issues not resolved in the hearing. (c) When proceedings in the superior court are deferred for a hearing and decision under this section, the plaintiff may proceed, after the decision of the commission, as an aggrieved party for the purpose of obtaining judicial review under AS 18.80.135 , whether or not the person was a party to, or complainant in, the administrative proceedings. (d) If the commission does not intervene or file a certificate and conduct a hearing as provided in this section, the court has complete jurisdiction of the case, notwithstanding the provisions of AS 18.80.280 . Article 3. Commission Reports and Publications. Sec. 18.80.150. Annual report. The commission shall report annually to the governor on civil rights problems it has encountered in the preceding year, and may recommend legislative action. The commission shall provide the Legislative Affairs Agency with 40 copies of the report during the week preceding the convening of the annual legislative session for library distribution. The commission shall make copies of the report available to the public and notify the legislature that the report is available. Sec. 18.80.160. Informative publications. The commission may prepare and distribute pamphlets and press releases to inform the public of its constitutional and statutory civil rights. The commission shall submit proposed publications to the Department of Law for a review of legal accuracy. Article 4. Discriminatory Practices Prohibited. Sec. 18.80.200. Purpose. (a) It is determined and declared as a matter of legislative finding that discrimination against an inhabitant of the state because of race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, physical or mental disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, or parenthood is a matter of public concern and that this discrimination not only threatens the rights and privileges of the inhabitants of the state but also menaces the institutions of the state and threatens peace, order, health, safety, and general welfare of the state and its inhabitants. (b) Therefore, it is the policy of the state and the purpose of this chapter to eliminate and prevent discrimination in employment, in credit and financing practices, in places of public accommodation, in the sale, lease, or rental of real property because of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood. It is also the policy of the state to encourage and enable physically and mentally disabled persons to participate fully in the social and economic life of the state and to engage in remunerative employment. It is not the purpose of this chapter to supersede laws pertaining to child labor, the age of majority, or other age restrictions or requirements. (c) Nothing in this chapter is intended to prohibit a private employer from granting an employment preference described in AS 23.88.010 . Sec. 18.80.210. Civil rights. The opportunity to obtain employment, credit and financing, public accommodations, housing accommodations, and other property without discrimination because of sex, physical or mental disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, race, religion, color, or national origin is a civil right. Sec. 18.80.215. Activities in aid of housing for minority groups. The activities of a nonprofit and noncommercial organization on a nonremunerative basis in aiding minority group members to obtain housing opportunities so as to further the purpose of this chapter are not considered a violation of AS 08.88.161 . Sec. 18.80.220. Unlawful employment practices; exception. (a) Except as provided in (c) of this section, it is unlawful for (1) an employer to refuse employment to a person, or to bar a person from employment, or to discriminate against a person in compensation or in a term, condition, or privilege of employment because of the person's race, religion, color, or national origin, or because of the person's age, physical or mental disability, sex, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, or parenthood when the reasonable demands of the position do not require distinction on the basis of age, physical or mental disability, sex, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, or parenthood; (2) a labor organization, because of a person's sex, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, age, race, religion, physical or mental disability, color, or national origin, to exclude or to expel a person from its membership, or to discriminate in any way against one of its members or an employer or an employee; (3) an employer or employment agency to print or circulate or cause to be printed or circulated a statement, advertisement, or publication, or to use a form of application for employment or to make an inquiry in connection with prospective employment, that expresses, directly or indirectly, a limitation, specification, or discrimination as to sex, physical or mental disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, age, race, creed, color, or national origin, or an intent to make the limitation, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification; (4) an employer, labor organization, or employment agency to discharge, expel, or otherwise discriminate against a person because the person has opposed any practices forbidden under AS 18.80.200 — 18.80.280 or because the person has filed a complaint, testified, or assisted in a proceeding under this chapter; (5) an employer to discriminate in the payment of wages as between the sexes, or to employ a female in an occupation in this state at a salary or wage rate less than that paid to a male employee for work of comparable character or work in the same operation, business, or type of work in the same locality; or (6) a person to print, publish, broadcast, or otherwise circulate a statement, inquiry, or advertisement in connection with prospective employment that expresses directly a limitation, specification, or discrimination as to sex, physical or mental disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, age, race, religion, color, or national origin, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification. (b) The state, employers, labor organizations, and employment agencies shall maintain records on age, sex, and race that are required to administer the civil rights laws and regulations. These records are confidential and available only to federal and state personnel legally charged with administering civil rights laws and regulations. However, statistical information compiled from records on age, sex, and race shall be made available to the general public. (c) Notwithstanding the prohibition against employment discrimination on the basis of marital status or parenthood under (a) of this section, (1) an employer may, without violating this chapter, provide greater health and retirement benefits to employees who have a spouse or dependent children than are provided to other employees; (2) a labor organization may, without violating this chapter, negotiate greater health and retirement benefits for employees of an employer who have a spouse or dependent children than are provided to other employees of the employer. (d) In this section, “dependent child” means an unmarried child, including an adopted child, who is dependent upon a parent for support and who is either (1) less than 19 years old; (2) less than 23 years old and registered at and attending on a full-time basis an accredited educational or technical institution recognized by the Department of Education and Early Development; or (3) of any age and totally and permanently disabled. Sec. 18.80.230. Unlawful practices in places of public accommodation. (a) It is unlawful for the owner, lessee, manager, agent, or employee of a public accommodation (1) to refuse, withhold from, or deny to a person any of its services, goods, facilities, advantages, or privileges because of sex, physical or mental disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, race, religion, color, or national origin; (2) to publish, circulate, issue, display, post, or mail a written or printed communication, notice, or advertisement that states or implies (A) that any of the services, goods, facilities, advantages, or privileges of the public accommodation will be refused, withheld from, or denied to a person of a certain race, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, marital status, color, or national origin or because of pregnancy, parenthood, or a change in marital status, or (B) that the patronage of a person belonging to a particular race, creed, sex, marital status, color, or national origin or who, because of pregnancy, parenthood, physical or mental disability, or a change in marital status, is unwelcome, not desired, or solicited. (b) Notwithstanding (a) of this section, a physical fitness facility may limit public accommodation to only males or only females to protect the privacy interests of its users. Public accommodation may be limited under this subsection only to those rooms in the facility that are primarily used for weight loss, aerobic, and other exercises, or for resistance weight training. Public accommodation may not be limited under this subsection to rooms in the facility primarily used for other purposes, including conference rooms, dining rooms, and premises licensed under AS 04.09 . This subsection does not apply to swimming pools or golf courses. Sec. 18.80.240. Unlawful practices in the sale or rental of real property. It is unlawful for the owner, lessee, manager, or other person having the right to sell, lease, or rent real property (1) to refuse to sell, lease, or rent the real property to a person because of sex, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, race, religion, physical or mental disability, color, or national origin; however, nothing in this paragraph prohibits the sale, lease, or rental of classes of real property commonly known as housing for “singles” or “married couples” only; (2) to discriminate against a person because of sex, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, race, religion, physical or mental disability, color, or national origin in a term, condition, or privilege relating to the use, sale, lease, or rental of real property; however, nothing in this paragraph prohibits the sale, lease, or rental of classes of real property commonly known as housing for “singles” or “married couples” only; (3) to make a written or oral inquiry or record of the sex, marital status, changes in marital status, race, religion, physical or mental disability, color, or national origin of a person seeking to buy, lease, or rent real property; (4) to offer, solicit, accept, use, or retain a listing of real property with the understanding that a person may be discriminated against in a real estate transaction or in the furnishing of facilities or sources in connection therewith because of a person's sex, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, race, religion, physical or mental disability, color, national origin, or age; (5) to represent to a person that real property is not available for inspection, sale, rental, or lease when in fact it is so available, or to refuse to allow a person to inspect real property because of the race, religion, physical or mental disability, color, national origin, age, sex, marital status, change in marital status, or pregnancy of that person or of any person associated with that person; (6) to engage in blockbusting; (7) to make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed, or published, any notice, statement, or advertisement with respect to the sale or rental of real property that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, physical or mental disability, sex, or national origin, or an intention to make the preference, limitation, or discrimination. Sec. 18.80.250. Unlawful financing practice. (a) It is unlawful for a financial institution or other commercial institution extending secured or unsecured credit, upon receiving an application for financial assistance or credit for the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair, or maintenance of a housing accommodation or other property or services, or the acquisition or improvement of unimproved property, or upon receiving an application for any sort of loan of money, to permit one of its officials or employees during the execution of the official's or the employee's duties (1) to discriminate against the applicant because of sex, physical or mental disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, race, religion, color, or national origin in a term, condition, or privilege relating to the obtainment or use of the institution's financial assistance or credit, except to the extent of a federal statute or regulation applicable to a transaction of the same character; (2) to make or cause to be made a written or oral inquiry or record of the sex, physical or mental disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, race, religion, color, or national origin of a person seeking the institution's financial assistance or credit, unless the inquiry is for the purpose of ascertaining the creditor's rights and remedies applicable to the particular extension of credit and is not made or used in order to discriminate in a determination of creditworthiness; (3) to refuse to extend credit, issue a credit card, or make a loan to a married person or a person with a physical or mental disability, who is otherwise creditworthy, if so requested by the person; (4) to refuse to issue a credit card to a married person in that person's name, if so requested by the person, provided, however, that the person so requesting a card may be required to open an account in that name. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of (a) of this section, any practice permitted by federal statute or regulation applicable to financial or credit transactions of the same character as those covered by this section does not constitute discrimination under this section. (c) An action by a financial institution or other commercial institution extending credit taken in compliance with (a) of this section, including the extension of credit or the making of a loan, is not a violation of AS 06.20.240 , unless done with the intent or purpose of obtaining a higher rate of interest than would otherwise be permitted by AS 06.20.230 . (d) This section does not prohibit an institution described in (a) of this section from refusing to contract with a person if the person lacks the legal capacity to contract or if the institution is reasonably in doubt about the person's legal capacity to contract. Sec. 18.80.255. Unlawful practices by the state or its political subdivisions. It is unlawful for the state or any of its political subdivisions (1) to refuse, withhold from, or deny to a person any local, state, or federal funds, services, goods, facilities, advantages, or privileges because of race, religion, sex, color, or national origin; (2) to publish, circulate, issue, display, post, or mail a written or printed communication, notice, or advertisement that states or implies that any local, state, or federal funds, services, goods, facilities, advantages, or privileges of the office or agency will be refused, withheld from, or denied to a physically or mentally disabled person or a person of a certain race, religion, sex, color, or national origin or that the patronage of a physically or mentally disabled person or a person belonging to a particular race, creed, sex, color, or national origin is unwelcome, not desired, or solicited; it is not unlawful to post notice that facilities to accommodate the physically or mentally disabled are not available; (3) to refuse or deny to a person any local, state, or federal funds, services, goods, facilities, advantages, or privileges because of physical or mental disability. Sec. 18.80.260. Aiding, abetting, or coercing a violation of chapter. It is unlawful for a person to aid, abet, incite, compel, or coerce the doing of an act forbidden under this chapter or to attempt to do so. Sec. 18.80.270. Penalty. A person, employer, labor organization, or employment agency, who or that wilfully engages in an unlawful discriminatory practice prohibited by this chapter, or wilfully resists, prevents, impedes, or interferes with the commission or any of its authorized representatives in the performance of duty under this chapter, or who or that wilfully violates an order of the commission, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction, is punishable by a fine of not more than $500, or by imprisonment in a jail for not more than 30 days, or by both. Sec. 18.80.280. Acquittal bars other actions. The acquittal of a person by the commission or a court of competent jurisdiction of any alleged violation of this chapter is a bar to any other action, civil or criminal, based on the same act or omission. Sec. 18.80.290. Local human rights commissions. (a) The legislative body of a municipality may, by ordinance or resolution, authorize the establishment of membership in and support of a local human rights commission. The number and qualifications of the members of a local commission and their terms and method of appointment or removal shall be as determined by the legislative body, except that a member may not hold office in a political party. (b) The legislative body of a municipality has the authority to appropriate funds in amounts as considered necessary for the purpose of contributing to the operation of a local commission, including the payment of its share of the salary of an investigator or staff member acting jointly for it and one or more other local commissions. (c) The local commission has the power to appoint employees and staff as it considers necessary to fulfill its purpose, including the power to appoint an investigator or staff member to act jointly for it and one or more other local commissions. (d) The governing body of a municipality has the authority under AS 29.20.320 to grant to local commissions powers and duties similar to those exercised by the commission under the provisions of this chapter. Sec. 18.80.295. Apprenticeship programs. The provisions of this chapter affecting discrimination in employment on the basis of age do not apply to apprenticeship programs registered by the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, United States Department of Labor, or apprenticeship programs that meet standards equivalent to apprenticeship programs registered by the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training. Article 5. General Provisions. Sec. 18.80.300. Definitions. In this chapter, (1) “blockbusting” means an unlawful discriminatory practice by a real estate broker, real estate salesperson, or employee or agent of a broker or another individual, corporation, partnership, or organization for the purpose of inducing a real estate transaction from which any such person or its stockholders or members may benefit financially, to represent directly or indirectly that a change has occurred or will or may occur from a composition with respect to race, religion, color, or national origin of the owners or occupants of the block, neighborhood, or area in which the real property is located, and to represent directly or indirectly that this change may or will result in undesirable consequences in the block, neighborhood, or area in which the real property is located, including the lowering of property values, an increase in criminal or antisocial behavior, or decline in the quality of the schools or other facilities; (2) “commission” means the State Commission for Human Rights; (3) “complainant” means a person who is aggrieved by a discriminatory practice prohibited by this chapter and who has filed a complaint as provided in AS 18.80.100 ; (4) “employee” means an individual employed by an employer but does not include an individual employed in the domestic service of any person; (5) “employer” means a person, including the state and a political subdivision of the state, who has one or more employees in the state but does not include a club that is exclusively social, or a fraternal, charitable, educational, or religious association or corporation, if the club, association, or corporation is not organized for private profit; (6) “employment agency” means a person undertaking to procure employees or opportunities to work; (7) “executive director” means the executive director of the State Commission for Human Rights; (8) “financial institution” means a commercial bank, trust company, mutual savings bank, cooperative bank, homestead association, mutual savings and loan association, or an insurance company; (9) “labor organization” means an organization and an agent of the organization, for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, dealing with employers concerning grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection of employees; (10) “major life activities” means functions such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working; (11) “national origin” includes ancestry; (12) “pay” means wages; salaries; commissions; amounts an employer contributes to retirement, health, or other fringe benefit plans; and other forms of remuneration paid to an employee for personal services; (13) “person” means one or more individuals, labor unions, partnerships, associations, corporations, legal representatives, mutual companies, joint-stock companies, trusts, unincorporated organizations, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, receivers, employees, employers, employment agencies, or labor organizations; (14) “physical or mental disability” means (A) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; (B) a history of, or a misclassification as having, a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; (C) having (i) a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially limit a person's major life activities but that is treated by the person as constituting such a limitation; (ii) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a person's major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward the impairment; or (iii) none of the impairments defined in this paragraph but being treated by others as having such an impairment; or (D) a condition that may require the use of a prosthesis, special equipment for mobility, or service animal; (15) “physical or mental impairment” means (A) physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory including speech organs, cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genito-urinary, hemic and lymphatic, skin, and endocrine; (B) mental or psychological disorder, including intellectual disability, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities; (16) “public accommodation” means a place that caters or offers its services, goods, or facilities to the general public and includes a public inn, restaurant, eating house, hotel, motel, soda fountain, soft drink parlor, tavern, night club, roadhouse, place where food or spiritous or malt liquors are sold for consumption, trailer park, resort, campground, barber shop, beauty parlor, bathroom, resthouse, theater, swimming pool, skating rink, golf course, cafe, ice cream parlor, transportation company, and all other public amusement and business establishments, subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons; (17) “real property” means a building or portion of a building, whether constructed or to be constructed, structures, real estate, lands, tenements, leaseholds, interests in real estate cooperatives, condominiums, and hereditaments, corporeal and incorporeal, or any interest therein; (18) “state” includes the University of Alaska and the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of state government including all departments, agencies, commissions, councils, boards, divisions, and sections.