Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §4622, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1997, c. 400, §2, is further amended to read:

1. Limitation. Attorney's fees under section 4614 and civil penal damages or compensatory and punitive damages under section 4613 may not be awarded to a plaintiff in a civil action under this Act unless the plaintiff alleges and establishes that, prior to the filing of the civil action, the plaintiff first filed a complaint with the commission and the commission either:

A. Dismissed the case under section 4612, subsection 2;

B. Failed, within 90 days after finding reasonable grounds to believe that unlawful discrimination occurred, to enter into a conciliation agreement to which the plaintiff was a party; or

C. Issued a right-to-sue letter under section 4612, subsection 6 and the action was brought by the aggrieved person not more than 2 years after the act of unlawful discrimination of which the complaint was made as provided in section 4613, subsection 2, paragraph C.

This subsection does not apply to or limit any remedies for civil actions filed under subchapter V if one or more additional causes of action are alleged in the same civil action that do not require exhaustion of administrative remedies.

This subsection does not apply to or limit any remedies for civil actions filed under subchapter IV.

SUMMARY

This bill amends the Maine Human Rights Act by removing limitations of attorney's fees and damages for civil actions based upon discrimination in housing.