§ 1-2. Findings; policy.

(a) Findings.

The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore finds that:

(1) The population of Baltimore is composed of persons having differing racial, religious, and ethnic backgrounds.

(2) Discrimination in the fields of education and preliminary job training and other prevailing conditions and causes have precluded members of certain ethnic, sex, or age groups, and persons with a physical or mental disability, from acquiring, developing, and maintaining essential educational, vocational, cultural, and professional background and efficiency for entrance into, and the earning of a livelihood in, many fields of endeavor. Members of these groups who are qualified are not given fair, equal, and impartial employment opportunities. Such prevention from earning an income necessary to maintain normal and decent living standards has retarded community progress and increased public relief rolls.

(3) Discrimination in health and welfare services imposes unnecessary individual and community hardships and has actually resulted in denial to members of such groups of care, attention, and service essential to maintenance of their physical and emotional well-being.

(4) The practice by places of public accommodation, resort, or amusement of refusing to accommodate and serve members of groups tends to impose hardship upon the members of these groups and also tends to cause and intensify inter-group tension.

(5) Discrimination against women in the fields of education, preliminary job training, health and welfare services, and employment opportunities, and the refusal of service in places of public accommodations, resort, or amusement imposes a social hardship upon women and penalizes the society in that women cannot make maximum use of their skills and abilities to enrich the world around them.

(6) Arbitrary age discrimination in employment prevents many of our citizens from working at jobs for which they are qualified and forces others who are willing and able to work into involuntary retirement. These workers are denied the opportunity of working in their chosen fields and are often forced to accept support from society through unemployment insurance and relief payments.

(7) It is estimated that over 11% of the working age population in the Baltimore area has a physical or mental disability which limits the kind of work such persons can do. The law should protect their right to have an equal chance to perform in the jobs for which they are suited and to be educated for such employment. Places of public accommodation, resort, and amusement as well as health and welfare agencies and educational institutions should make available their facilities and programs to persons having physical and mental disabilities.

(8) Discrimination in the sale and rental of housing accommodations imposes social and financial hardship. Equal access to housing is fundamental to the exercise of basic rights and to the enjoyment of many other liberties and opportunities and should be available to all members of our community.

(9) Discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression produces untold anxieties, mental anguish, and human suffering, not only in the victims of discrimination themselves, but also among their families.

(10) Legislation is necessary in the public interest to avoid permanent adverse effects upon the development, growth, and renewal of the City of Baltimore.

(b) Policy.

Therefore, the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore deems it necessary and expedient to promote and protect the public welfare by enacting this article to prevent and eliminate discrimination by the persons and in the areas herein defined.