[dc]O[/dc]n May 29, the California State Assembly passed the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2012 by a vote of 63-6. AB 1964 is now on its way to the Senate.
Sponsored by Mariko Yamada (D-Davis), AB 1964 would include the practice of wearing religious clothing or a religious hairstyle as a belief or observance covered by existing protections against religious discrimination, and would specify that an accommodation of a person wearing religious clothing or a religious hairstyle that would require that person to be segregated from the public or other employees is not a reasonable accommodation. This bill would further provide that no accommodation is required if an accommodation would result in the violation of specified laws protecting civil rights.
The bill is presently in the Senate Rules Committee awaiting Senate committee assignment.
To track the progress of the legislation and read the latest versions of the bill, visit http://www.aroundthecapitol.com/Bills/AB_1964/20112012/
See our previous article on the bill:
Key California Committee Passes Workplace Religious Freedom Act – April 20, 2012