Equality Act

Bill: 118-hr-15
Sponsor: Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39]
Introduced: 2023-06-21 in the House
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Consumer credit
Due process and equal protection
Elementary and secondary education
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Higher education
Housing discrimination
Judicial procedure and administration
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
Religion
Retail and wholesale trades
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Sports and recreation facilities

Summary:
action_date: 2023-06-21
text: 

Equality Act

 
This bill prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity with respect to businesses, employment, housing, federally funded programs, and other settings.
 
Specifically, the bill expands Title II and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit public accommodations and federally funded programs, respectively, from discriminating based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. It also includes stores, transit services, recreational facilities, and establishments that provide health care, accounting, or legal services as public accommodations under Title II. 
 
The bill also expands Title IV (desegregation of public schools) and Title VII (employment discrimination) to specifically include sexual orientation and gender identity. (The Supreme Court held in 
Bostock v. Clayton County
 that Title VII's prohibition of employment discrimination based on sex also prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.) 
 
The bill similarly expands the Fair Housing Act (discrimination in public and private housing) to include sexual orientation and gender identity. It also prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity by creditors and with respect to jury selection. 
 
The bill defines 
sex
 for purposes of the aforementioned provisions to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-06-21
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, House Administration, and Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-06-21
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, House Administration, and Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-06-21
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, House Administration, and Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-06-21
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, House Administration, and Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-06-21
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Financial Services, House Administration, and Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-06-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-06-21
text: Introduced in House