49-2-308. Discrimination by the state. (1) It is an unlawful discriminatory practice for the state or any of its political subdivisions:

(a) to refuse, withhold from, or deny to a person any local, state, or federal funds, services, goods, facilities, advantages, or privileges because of race, creed, religion, sex, marital status, color, age, physical or mental disability, or national origin, unless based on reasonable grounds;

(b) to publish, circulate, issue, display, post, or mail a written or printed communication, notice, or advertisement which states or implies that any local, state, or federal funds, services, goods, facilities, advantages, or privileges of the office or agency will be refused, withheld from, or denied to a person of a certain race, creed, religion, sex, marital status, color, age, physical or mental disability, or national origin or that the patronage of a person of a particular race, creed, religion, sex, marital status, color, age, or national origin or possessing a physical or mental disability is unwelcome or not desired or solicited, unless based on reasonable grounds;

(c) to refuse employment to a person, to bar a person from employment, or to discriminate against a person in compensation or in a term, condition, or privilege of employment because of that person's political beliefs. However, this prohibition does not apply to policymaking positions on the immediate staff of an elected officer of the executive branch provided for in Article VI, section 1, of the Montana constitution, to the appointment by the governor of a director of a principal department provided for in Article VI, section 7, of the Montana constitution, or to the immediate staff of the majority and minority leadership of the Montana legislature.

(2) This section does not prevent the nonarbitrary consideration in adoption proceedings of relevant information concerning the factors listed in subsection (1).

History: En. 64-306 by Sec. 2, Ch. 283, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 121, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 524, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 38, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 64-306(6); amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 682, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 407, L. 1993.