All articles tagged with #public accommodations
Federal investigators with the Civil Rights Division opened a probe into Poetica Coffee in Brooklyn after it posted that Rep. Dan Goldman and his daughter were not welcome, said it issued a refund, and told him to not return. Goldman says the barista was nice, and the incident raises questions about potential illegal discrimination in public accommodations based on race, religion, or national origin.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division opened a probe into Poetica Coffee in New York after it refunded and banned Rep. Daniel Goldman for his support of Israel, citing potential public-accommodations discrimination based on race, religion, or national origin. Goldman had received donations from AIPAC for the 2026 cycle (which he said he would return) and defended civil rights amid the backlash, while the cafe faced online backlash and federal scrutiny.
Idaho lawmakers are considering a bill that would criminalize transgender people using bathrooms and changing rooms that align with their gender identity in any place of public accommodation, with penalties of up to a year for a misdemeanor and up to five years for a felony on a second offense; it includes carve-outs for emergencies, dire need, and other staff roles, but faces opposition from law-enforcement groups and LGBTQ advocates who warn it could lead to profiling and harassment. The Senate was expected to vote on the bill this week, potentially sending it to Governor Brad Little for signing.
The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in Cooper v. USA Powerlifting that transgender athletes have the right to compete in sports without discrimination under the Minnesota Human Rights Act, affirming the inclusion of trans individuals in public sports and clarifying legal precedents related to discrimination protections.
The New York City Council is expected to approve a bill that adds a person’s weight to the list of characteristics that are protected from discrimination, along with race, gender, age, religion and sexual orientation. The law would prohibit employers and businesses from discriminating in employment, housing and access to public accommodations. The measure is supported by a majority of the City Council, with 33 co-sponsors out of 51 members. The bill is part of a growing national campaign to address weight discrimination, with lawmakers in New Jersey and Massachusetts considering similar measures.