The City Council of Rio de Janeiro approved, this Thursday (13), a bill that provides for punishment, with a fine of up to R$100,000, to transport application companies whose drivers refuse to take passengers due to religious discrimination, racial, sexual and political orientation.
According to the text, companies will have to include clauses in the contract with associated drivers that make clear the prohibition of behavior during the provision of the service.
The project provides for a fine for the offending driver, in the amount of R$1 thousand, which can be doubled in case of recidivism. Applications, on the other hand, may have to pay BRL 50,000 for non-compliance and BRL 100,000 in case of recidivism.
Applications must also provide psychological support to victims, provide all necessary information to the competent authorities when requested and communicate to the Municipal Transport Department about the attitude of the driver of application cars.
Now the bill authored by councilor Átila Nunes (DEM) goes to the sanction of Mayor Eduardo Paes (PSD).
“We cannot allow people to continue to be prevented from getting into an app’s car for wearing saint’s clothes, skin color or sexual orientation. The project aims to punish this practice, through fines to drivers and companies, and create obligations that should guide the provision of this service, increasingly used in our city. It is the role of the Public Power to fight religious and political intolerance, racist acts and those with a bias of homophobia. We cannot allow, for example, a person to be prevented from getting into a car for wearing a shirt from a political party or candidate, as we have seen in the face of the intensification of polarization in the presidential elections”, said the councilor.
Source: CNN Brasil
