Thomas v. Anchorage Equal Rights Commission

OPINION

BRYNER, Chief Justice.

I. INTRODUCTION

The Alaska Statutes and the Anchorage Municipal Code both prohibit landlords from refusing to rent property to persons because of marital status. 1 Ten years ago, in Swanner v. Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, we held that enforcing these provisions against an Anchorage landlord who refused to rent to unmarried couples on religious grounds did not violate the landlord's right to free exercise of his religion. 2 In the present case, similarly situated landlords urge us to overrule Swanner, insisting that the state and municipal fair housing laws…