Senate Bill 285 - Summary

• Amends Indiana Code Title 22-9 to add sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, and ancestry to the list of protected classes in state civil rights law, effective July 1, 2018.

• Expands the definition of discriminatory practices to include exclusion from equal opportunities, systems that exclude persons, and racial segregation based on the newly protected classifications in employment, education, housing, public accommodations, and credit.

• Adds detailed definitions for "gender identity" (gender-related identity, appearance, expression, or behavior regardless of assigned sex at birth) and "sexual orientation" (actual or perceived bisexuality, heterosexuality, or homosexuality).

• Requires state and local government contracts, including public utility franchises, to include provisions prohibiting discrimination based on the newly protected classes, with breach constituting material breach of contract.

• Establishes a 180-day filing deadline for complaints of discriminatory practices and applies the expanded protections to commission investigations, advisory councils, and civil rights enforcement procedures.