Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act

Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act
Michigan Legislature
  • Public Act 453 of 1976
Territorial extentMichigan
Enacted byMichigan Legislature
Signed byMichigan Governor William Milliken
SignedJanuary 13, 1977
EffectiveMarch 31, 1977
Introduced byDaisy Elliott and Melvin L. Larsen
Amended by
Act 162 of 1977, Act 153 of 1978, Act 446 of 1978, Act 610 of 1978, Act 91 of 1979, Act 93 of 1980, Act 170 of 1980, Act 202 of 1980, Act 45 of 1982, Act 512 of 1982, Act 11 of 1991, Act 70 of 1992, Act 124 of 1992, Act 258 of 1992, Act 216 of 1993, Act 88 of 1995, Act 202 of 1999, Act 348 of 2006, Act 190 of 2009 and Acts 6, 31 and 45 of 2023[1]
Summary
An Act to define civil rights; to prohibit discriminatory practices, policies, and customs in the exercise of those rights based upon religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, height, weight, familial status, or marital status; to preserve the confidentiality of records regarding arrest, detention, or other disposition in which a conviction does not result; to prescribe the powers and duties of the civil rights commission and the department of civil rights; to provide remedies and penalties; to provide for fees; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts.[2]
Keywords
Civil rights, discrimination, housing, employment, public accommodations
Status: In force

The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA), or Public Act 453 of 1976, which went into effect in 1977, originally prohibited discrimination in Michigan only on the basis of "religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, or marital status" in employment, housing, education, and access to public accommodations.[2] A ruling by the Michigan Supreme Court on July 28, 2022 expanded the scope of the law to explicitly include protections for LGBT people.[3] Sexual orientation and gender identity were both formally codified and added to Michigan legislation officially on March 16, 2023 and became Act 6 of 2023.[4] Other classes added to the law since passage include pregnant workers, workers who seek abortions, and hair style and texture.

The law is named for its two primary sponsors, Daisy Elliott, a Democrat from Detroit, and Melvin L. Larsen, a Republican from Oxford, and passed in 1976 with 25 votes in the Michigan Senate and 79 votes in the Michigan House of Representatives.[5] It was signed into law by Michigan Governor William Milliken on January 13, 1977[6] and went into effect on March 31, 1977.[2]

The law also helped strengthen the role of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights,[7] formed in 1965 to support the work of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission of the 1963 Constitution of Michigan.

  1. ^ "Michigan SB0004 | 2023-2024 | 102nd Legislature".
  2. ^ a b c "Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act: Public Act 453 of 1976" (PDF). Legislative Council, State of Michigan. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  3. ^ "Rouch World-OP" (PDF). Michigan Supreme Court. July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  4. ^ Stebbins, Laina G. (March 17, 2023). "Whitmer signs LGBTQ+ non-discrimination bill into law alongside civil rights pioneer Mel Larsen". Michigan Advance. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  5. ^ Gubbins, Roberta M. (September 17, 2012). "Legal Milestone Honors Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act". Oakland County Legal News. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  6. ^ Bowron, Aaron K. (August 2012). "The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act: Celebrating the Progress of Michigan's Civil Rights Laws" (PDF). Michigan Bar Journal. 91 (8): 20–21.
  7. ^ Proxmire, Crystal A. (September 26, 2014). "50Years of MDCR #4: Mel Larsen...LGBT Protection..." Oakland County 115. Retrieved December 9, 2014.