Unruh Act Background
While many people are familiar with the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), the Unruh Civil Rights Act often receives
less attention. Yet it has become the focus of thousands of
lawsuits against landlords and businesses in California.
The California Unruh Civil Rights Act is a state law in
California that prohibits discrimination based on protected
categories, including sex, race, religion, and disability status.
Also known as the Unruh Act, it was named after the former
California Assemblyman Jesse M. Unruh, who authored the bill and
successfully fought for its passage in 1959. The act was codified
as California Civil Code sections 51, et seq.
The Unruh Act requires businesses and public accommodations to
provide equal access to their services and facilities. This
includes physical wheelchair access, sign language interpreters,
and under some theories website accessibility for the blind, among
other things.
