1 4 8 [9 2 O p . A tt'y HOUS I NG C ONDO MINI UMS

– F RE E DOM OF R E L I GI ON

– P RE E MPT I ON P ROPOS E D B ALTI MO RE C I T Y O RDI NANCE C ONC ERNI NG R EASONABLE A CC OMMODAT I ON OF R ELI GI OUS P RACTI CES N OT P RE E MPT E D B Y S T AT E OR F EDERAL L AW

O ct ober23, 2007

The H onor abl e St ephani e Raw l i ngs - B lake B al t i m or e C i t

y C ounci lP r es i dent Y ou have r eq u ested a n opi ni on on a numberof ques t i ons relati n g to C ityC o u n cil B il l 07 -06 4 8 - O rd in a n c e

–Mu lti p le- Fa m ily D w el l i ngs , F i rs tA m endm ent A ccom m odat i ons : 1. D oes exi s t i ng Feder al and/ orM ary l and St at e l aw al r eady p ro v id e f o r “ re a so n a b le a c c o m m o d a tio n f o r re lig io u s p ra c tice s” in m ult i ple- fam i l ydw el l i ng s, i ncludi ng con do m i nium s? 2

. If e x istin g law d o e s n o t p ro v id e f o r th e se p ro tec tio n s, is i tw i thi n the author i tyof the B al t i m or e C i ty C ounci l t o pr ovi de for thes e pr ot ect i ons as w r i t t en i n C i tyC ounci l B i l l 07- 0648? 3. I f so , w hatl anguage do y ou s ugges tw e us e t o defi ne “ r e a s o n a b l e a c c o mmod a t i o n s ?” C i tyS oli ci t or G eorge A

. N i l son recentl yansw ered these q u e stio n s in a leg a l o p in io n , a c o p yo f w h ich is a ttac h e d . T h e C ity Sol i ci t orconcl uded that : ( 1) the pr opos ed or di nance w o u l d notbe pr eempt ed byexi s t i ng fede r al and St at e fa i rhous i ng l aw s orthe M a ry lan d C o n d o m in iu m A c t; (2 ) it is a p ro p e r e x e rc ise o f th e C ity C ounci l ’ s l egi s l at i ve aut hor i ty t o enac ta fa i rhous i ng l aw des i gned to p ro h ib it d isc rim in a tio n b a se d o n re lig io n a n d to e n su re re a so n a b le acc om m odat i ons for the fr ee exer ci s e of r el i gi ous pr act i ces ; and ( 3)

“ re a so n a b le a c c o m m o d a tio n ” s h o u ld b e d e f in e d a s “ m o d e st, aff i r m at i ve s t eps thatdo notpos e an undue fi nanci al har ds hi p orG en. 3] 149

Given the sc ope of your re quest, we h av e n o tconsidere d the 1 s t atus of the propose d ordinanc e under the Establishment Clause of the Unite d St ate s Co ns tit

uti on , which w eun ders tand wa s p revio us ly addre ssed by

the City Solicitor’s Office

. s ubs t ant i al bur den. ” W e have r evi ew ed the C i tySol i ci t or ’ s l ett er and agree w i th it s conclusi on s. 1 D ougl as F. G ans l er A t t or ney G ener al M a rk J. D a v is A ss i s t a n t Att o r n e yGen eral R o b e rt N . M c D o n a ld C hi ef C ouns el O pi ni ons and A dvi ce



### C ITY OF 

### B A LT IM ORE 

### D EPARTMENT OF 

### LAW S HE I L A D I X ON , M A YO R G EO RG E A. N I L S ON C I T Y S OL I C I T OR 101 CityHall Bal tim ore, Ma r

yla nd 21 202

A ugus t30, 2007 T h e H o n o ra b le S tep h a n ie R a w lin g s-B lak e , P re sid e n t B a lti m o re C ityC o u n c il A ttn : K are n R an d le, E x ec u ti v e S ec retary R o o m 4 0 9 , C ityH a ll B al t i m or e, M ary l and 21202 R e: C i ty C ounci l B i l l 07- 0648 - M u lt i pl e Fam i l yD w el l i ngs

- Fi r s tA m endmentA ccomm odat i ons D earPr es i dentR aw l i ngs - B l ake, Y ou have a s ked the Law D epart m entfor a l egal opi ni on on the foll ow i ng qu est i on s:1 5 0 [9 2 O p . A tt'y 1) D oes exi s t i ng Feder al and/ orM ary l and St at e l aw al r eady p ro v id e f

o r " re a so n a b le a c c o m m o d a tio n f o r re lig io u s p ra c tice s" in m ult i ple- fam i l ydw el l i ng s, i ncludi ng con do m i nium s? 2 ) If e x istin g law d o e s n o t p ro v id e f o r th e se p ro tec tio n s, is i tw i thi n the author i ty of the B al t i m or e C i tyC ounci l t o pr ovi de for thes e pr ot ect i ons as w r i t t en i n C i tyC ounci l B i l l 07- 0648? 3) I f s o, w hat lang u ag e d o y o u s ugges tw e us e t o defi ne " r e a s o n a b l e a c c o mmod a t i o n s ?" T h e L a w D e p a rtm e n t' s o p in io n is th a t: 1) E xi s t i ng fede r al and st at e l aw s do not curr ent l ypr ovi de f o r re a so n a b le a c c o m m o d a tio n s f o r re lig io u s p ra c tice s in m ul t i pl e- fami l ydw el l i ngs , and C i ty C ounci l B i l l 07- 0648 w oul d not be pr eempt ed . 2 ) E nactme n t o f th e b i l l wou l d b e a p r o p e r e x e r c i s e of t he C i ty C o u n c i l 's l e g i s l a t i v e a u th o r i ty. 3) "Reas onab le a cc om m odat i on" s houl d be def i ned i n the bi l l as . "modes t , aff

i r m at i ve s t eps thatdo notpos e undue f i nanci al hardshi p o r s ub st anti al bu rden".

A n a ly sis 1. E xi s t i ng Feder al and M ary l and Law s D o N otPr ovi de For R e a so n a b le A c c o m m o d a tio n s F o r R e lig io u s P ra c tice s in M u lti p le- F a m ilyD w e lli n g s, a n d C ityC o u n c il B ill 07- 0648 W oul d N otbe Pr eempt ed T he U ni t ed St at es and M ary l and C ons t i tut i ons s ecur e ce r t ai n. r i ght s and pr i vi l eges r el at ed t o the fr ee e xer ci s e of r el i gi on, butno e x istin g f

e d e ra l o r sta te la w s s p e c if ica llye n su re re a so n a b le accom m o d a tio n s f

o r re lig io u s pract i ces i n m ult i ple- fam i l ydw el l i ng s. V ar i ous fede r al and s t at e ci vi l r i ght s l aw s pr ovi de si m i l ar p ro tec tio n s. F o r e x a m p le, th e f e d e ra l F a ir H o u sin g A c t p ro h ib its d e n y in g a h a n d ic a p p e d b u y e r o r re n ter a n yre a so n a b le a c c o m m o d a tio n n e c e ss a ry"to a f f o rd su c h p e rso n e q u a l o p p o rtu n ity to u se a n d e n

jo y a d w e lli n g ." 4 2 U .S .C . § 3 6 0 4 (B ). A n o th e r e x a m p le i s T i t l e V I I of the C i vi l R i ght s A ctof 1964, w hi ch r equi r es an empl oy ert o r eas onabl yacc om m odat e an e m pl oy ee' s r el i gi ous pr act i ce unl es s s uch s t eps w oul d caus e " undue har ds hi p on theG en. 3] 151 conduct of t he em pl oy er ' s bus i nes s . " 42 U : S. C

. §2000e( j )

. M ary l and l aw al s o pr ohi bi t s di s cr i m i nat orypr act i ces i n r es i dent i al hous i ng b a s e d o n a r e n t e r or bu y e r ' s r e l i g i o n . M d

. An n . Co d e a r t

. 4 9 B, § 1 9 (a). H ow ever , thes e l aw s and ot her s do notpr eventthe C i tyof B al t i m or e fr om adopt i ng i t s ow n fai r hous i ng l egi s l at i on. A ccor di ng t o the Supr eme C our t , none of the pr ovi s i ons of Ti t l e V I I I of the C ivil R igh ts A ct o f 19 6 8 , inclu d ing the F air H o u sing A c t, w e re i nt ended t o "pr e- empt l ocal hous i ng or di nance s or pr ovi de r i ght s and rem edies w hic h are effecti ve sub st i tutes

. " H unt erv. E r i cks on , 393 U

. S. 385, 388- 89 ( 1969)

. T i t l e V I I I of the C i vi l - R i ght s A ctof 1968 does not i nval i dat e or l i m i t any l ocal l aw s thatp reve nt d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n h o u s i n g . 4 2 U

. S

. C

. § 3 6 1 5

. T h e S t a t e o f M a ryl a n d 's fai r housi ng l aw exp l i ci t l yst at es that m u n icipal i t i es ar e free t o u se thei rl egi s l at i ve author i tyfo r adopt i ng l ocal ant i

- di s cr i m i nat i on or di nance s . See M d. A nn. C ode art

. 49B , §38. C i tyC ounci l B i l l 07- 0648 w oul d notbe pr eempt ed b ythe M ary l and C ondom i ni um A ct

. Fi r s t , the bi l l w oul d notbe pr eempt ed thr ough confl i ctpr eempt i on, beca us e the C ondom i ni um A ct and the p r o p o s e d b i l l d o n o t c o n f l i c t

. Th e r e a r e n o p r o v i s i o ns i n t he C ondom i ni um A ctaddre s s i ng r eas onabl e ac comm odat i ons for rel i gi ous pr act i ces i n m ul t i pl e- fami l ydw el l i ngs . Secondl y , the C on do m i nium A ct w o u ld no tpreem pt the b i l l throug h ex press p re e m p tio n , b e c a u se n o th in g in th e C o n d o m in iu m A c t ex p re ss ly p re e m p ts th is typ e o f

b ill ; th e C o n d o m in iu m A c t o n lye x p re ss ly pr ohi bi t s ci t i es fr om enac t i ng bur dens on condomi ni um s that do not a p p ly to s im ila rl ys itu a te d n o n -c o n d o m in iu m p ro p e rt ie s . See M d. C o d e A n n . , R ea l Pro p . § 1 1 -12 2 (b). Fi nal l y , the bi l l i s al s o notpr eempt ed bythe C ondom i ni um A ct thr ough i m pl i ed pr eempt i on, beca us e the M ary la nd G ener al A ss e m b lyd id n o t in ten d to o c c u p yth e e n tire f ield o f law re late d to p ro tec tio n s o f

re a so n a b le a c c o m m o d a tio n s fo r relig io u s p ra c tice s in m ul t i pl e- fami l ydw el l i ngs . T he M a ry l a n dCou r tof A ppeal s has rul ed that§11- 141 of the M ary l and C ondom i ni um A ct , w hi ch pr ovi des thatthe l aw is "in addi t i on t o and s uppl ement al t o . . . anyl ocal e n a c t m e n ti n th e S t a t e " d i s p l a ys th e G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y's unw i l l i ngnes s t o compl et el yoccupy the le gi s l at i ve fi el d of condomi ni um r egul at i on. R ockvil l e G rosveno r, Inc. v. Mon t go m ery C o u n ty , 2 8 9 M d

. 7 4 , 9 2 -93 (19 8 0 ). T her e f o r e , whi l e e x i s t i n g l a ws c u rr e n t l yd o n o tp r o v i d e f or re a so n able accom m od at i on s for rel i gio u s p ra c tice s in1 5 2 [9 2 O p . A tt'y

m ul t i pl e- fami l ydw el l i ngs , C i ty C ounci l B i l l 07- 0648 w oul d notbe p r e e mp t e d b yf

e d e r a l o rs t a t e l a w. 2

. C i t yC ounci l Bi l l 0 7

- 0 6 4 8 i s a Pr o p e r Ex e r c i s e of t he B a l t i m o r e C i ty C o u n c i l 's L e g i s l a t i v e A u th o r i ty. I n Mont gom er y C i t iz ens League v. G r eenhal gh , 253 M d. 151 ( 1969) , the C our t of A ppeal s rul ed that the C ounty C o u n cil of M ont gom eryC ount yhad the author i tyunderthe cons t itu ti o n and l aw s of M ary l and to ad o pta fa i rhous i ng l aw thatpr ohi bi t ed d is c ri m in a tio n o n th e b a s is o f , a m o n g o th e r th in g s , " re lig io u s c re e d ." T he C ou r ti n G r eenhal

gh re a so n e d th a t M o n tg o m e ryC o u n ty ' s f a ir hous i ng l aw w as a " r eas onabl e exer ci s e i n good fai th of the pol i ce p o w e r to p ro tec t th e p e a c e a n d g o o d o rd e r o f th e c o m m u n itya n d to prom ote i t s w el fare and g oo d g ov ernm ent" i n acco rdance w i th it s h o m e ru le a u th o ri ty. Id

. at162. L i ke the ena ctm entof M ont gom eryC ounty ' s fai rhous i ng l aw p ro h ib iti n g re lig io u s d isc r im in a tio n , p a ss a g e o f C ityC o u n c il B ill 0 7 -0 6 4 8 w o u ld b e a leg iti m a te u se o f th e C ity ' s h o m e ru le a u th o rity g ra n ted b yth e c o n s ti tu tio n a n d law s o f M a ry lan d a n d a v a lid e x e r c i s e o f

th e Ma y o ra n d C i tyC o u n c i l ' s p o l i c e p o we r . By p ro tec tin g re lig io u s fr e e d o m a n d e n s u r in g r e a s o n a b le a c c o m m o d a tio n s fo r th e f re e e x e rc ise o f

re lig io u s p ra c tice , the C ity C ounci l bi l l r at i onall y p r om ot es the hea l th, m or al s and w el far e of B a lti m o re C ityc iti z e n s. T h e re f o re , the e n a c tm e n t o f

C ityC o u n c il B i l l 0 7

- 0 6 4 8 w o u l d b e p r o p e r l y w i th i n th e B a l t i m o r e C i ty C o u n c i l 's a u th o r i ty. 3. A D efi ni t i on of "Reas onabl e A ccomm odat i ons " Shoul d. B e I n A ccor dance W i th Feder al C our tI nt erpr et at i ons of Si m i l arL egi s l at i ve M andat es W hi l e exi s t i ng l aw does notpr ovi de the pr ot ect i ons cont ai ned i n C i tyC ounci l B i l l 07- 0648, fede r al court s have c ons trued s i m i l ar pr ovi s i ons m andat i ng "r eas onabl e ac comm odat ion s " i n other cont ext s . Speci fi cal l y , court s h ave turned t o i nt erpr et at i ons of the A m er i cans w i th D i s abi l i t i es A ct and t he R ehabi l i t at i on A ctof 1973 t o d efi ne a "reasonab l e acco m m od atio n . " So lb e rgv . M a jer le Managem ent , 388 M d. 281, 295 ( 2005)

. A det erm i nat i on of w hether a n a c c o mmod a t i o n i s r e a s o n a b l e r e q u i r e s u n d e r t a k i ng a cas e- by

- cas e, hi ghl yfac t

- s peci fi c exam i nat i on and bal anci ng the l egis l at i ve pu rpose against the need for "r easona ble boun dari es. " I d. (in ter n a l cita tio n s a n d q u o tatio n s o m itt e d ). C e n tra l to th is a n a ly sis is "the co stand bu rdens of an yrequest ed acc om m od at i on . " I d.G en. 3] 153 Fol l ow i ng So l berg , "r eas onabl e ac comm odat i on" s houl d be de f i n e d a s " mod e s t , a f

f i r ma t i v e s t e p s th a td o n o tp o s e a n u ndue fi nan ci al hardshi p o r s ub st anti al bu rden. " I d. at297 ( i nt ernal ci t at i ons and quot at i ons om i t t ed)

. T hi s "undue har ds hi p /s ubs t ant i al bur den" s t andar d w oul d be appr opr i at e forC i tyCou n c i l Bi l l 07- 0648 to e n s u re re a s o n a b le a c c o m m o d a tio n f o r r e lig io u s p ra c ti c e . ( See a tta c h e d p ro p o s e d a m e n d m e n t.)

C oncl usi on W h ile e x istin g f

e d e ra l an d M a ry lan d law s d o n o t c u rre n tly p ro v id e f

o r " re a so n a b le a c c o m m o d a tio n f o r re lig io u s p ra c tice s" in m ul t i pl e- fami l ydw el l i ngs , enac t m ent of C i ty C ounci l B i l l 07- 0648 w o u ld b e a p ro p e r e x e rc ise o f th e C ityC o u n c il' s a u th o rity , an d it i s n o tp r e e mp t e d b yf

e d e r a l o rs t a t e l a w. V e ry T ru ly y o u rs ,

G eor ge A

. N i l s on C i tySol i ci t or