Introduced Version
House Bill 3016 History
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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
H. B. 3016
(By Delegate Wells)
[Introduced March 21, 2013; referred to the
Committee on Government Organization then the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new article, designated §16-45-1, §16-45-2,
§16-45-3, §16-45-4 and §16-45-5, all relating to access to
nonpublic restrooms by individuals with certain medical
conditions and under specified circumstances; and providing
criminal penalty for violation.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new article, designated §16-45-1, §16-45-2,
§16-45-3, §16-45-4 and §16-45-5, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 45. RESTROOM ACCESS ACT.
§16-45-1. Short title.
_____This article shall be known as the Restroom Access Act.
§16-45-2. Definitions.
_____As used in this article:
_____(1) "Customer" means a person or individual who is lawfully
on the premises of a retail establishment;
_____(2) "Eligible medical condition" means any medical condition
that requires immediate access to a toilet facility as determined
by a health care provider. These conditions include, but are not
limited to, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, any inflammatory
bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome;
_____(3) "Retail establishment" means a place of business open to
the general public for the sale of goods or services to an ultimate
consumer. A retail establishment includes, but is not limited to,
a grocery store, mercantile, delicatessen or any place where
merchandise is displayed, held or offered for sale.
§16-45-3. Customer access to restroom facility; retail
establishment.
_____A retail establishment which has a toilet facility for its
employees that is not open to the general public shall allow a
customer to use that toilet facility during normal business hours
if the following conditions are met:
_____(1) The customer requesting the use of the toilet facility
suffers from an eligible medical condition or uses an ostomy
device;
_____(2) Three or more employees of the retail establishment are
working at the time the customer requests use of the employee toilet facility;
_____(3) The retail establishment does not normally make a restroom
available to the public;
_____(4) The employee toilet facility is not located in an area
where providing access would create an obvious health or safety
risk to the customer or an obvious security risk to the retail
establishment; and
_____(5) A public restroom is not immediately accessible to the
customer.
§16-45-4. Limitation of liability.
_____(a) A retail establishment or an employee of a retail
establishment is not civilly liable for any action or omission in
allowing a customer that has an eligible medical condition to use
an employee toilet facility that is not a public restroom if the
act or omission:
_____(1) Is not willful or grossly negligent;
_____(2) Occurs in an area of the retail establishment that is not
accessible to the public; and
_____(3) Results in an injury or death to the customer, or any
individual other than an employee accompanying the customer.
_____(b) A retail establishment is not required to make any
physical changes to an employee toilet facility under this article.
§16-45-5. Penalties for violations.
_A retail establishment or an employee of a retail establishment
that violates the provisions of this article is guilty of a
misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more
than $100.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow individuals with
eligible medical conditions access to nonpublic employee restrooms
in retail establishments under specified circumstances; limit
liability for the retail establishments and employees; and establish
penalties.
This article is new; therefore, it has been completely
underscored.