Fair and Equal Housing Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1328
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
Introduced: 2017-06-08
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Housing discrimination

Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Latest action: action_date: 2017-06-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3365)

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-06-08
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Fair and Equal Housing Act of 2017</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Fair Housing Act (FHA) under the Civil Rights Act of 1968 to add sexual orientation and gender identity as classes protected against discrimination in the sale, rental, or financing of housing. (Currently, the FHA prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.)</font /></p> <p>The bill defines: (1) "gender identity" as gender-related identity, appearance, or mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of an individual, without regard to the individual's designated sex at birth; and (2) "sexual orientation" as homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality.</p> <p>The bill also extends prohibitions against housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, handicap, familial status, or national origin to include discrimination based on: (1) an individual's association with another person who is a member of such a protected class; and (2) a perception or belief, even if inaccurate, that an individual is a member of such a protected class.</p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1328 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 8, 2017 Mr. Kaine (for himself, Mr. Van Hollen , Ms. Baldwin , Ms. Warren , Ms. Hassan , Mr. Leahy , Mrs. Gillibrand , Mr. Wyden , Mr. Markey , Mr. Franken , Mr. Merkley , Mr. Booker , Mr. Blumenthal , Ms. Cortez Masto , and Mr. Brown ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To extend the protections of the Fair Housing Act to persons suffering discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Fair and Equal Housing Act of 2017 . 2. Housing (a) Fair Housing Act The Fair Housing Act ( 42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.) is amended— (1) in section 802 ( 42 U.S.C. 3602 ), by adding at the end the following: (p) Race , color , religion , sex , sexual orientation , gender identity , handicap , familial status , or national origin , used with respect to an individual, includes— (1) the race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, handicap, familial status, or national origin, respectively, of another person with whom the individual is associated or has been associated; and (2) a perception or belief, even if inaccurate, concerning the race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, handicap, familial status, or national origin, respectively, of the individual. (q) Gender identity means the gender-related identity, appearance, or mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of an individual, without regard to the individual’s designated sex at birth. (r) Sexual orientation means homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality. ; (2) in section 804 ( 42 U.S.C. 3604 ), by inserting sexual orientation, gender identity, after sex, each place that term appears; (3) in section 805 ( 42 U.S.C. 3605 ), by inserting sexual orientation, gender identity, after sex, each place that term appears; (4) in section 806 ( 42 U.S.C. 3606 ), by inserting sexual orientation, gender identity, after sex, ; and (5) in section 808(e)(6) ( 42 U.S.C. 3608(e)(6) ), by inserting sexual orientation, gender identity, after sex, . (b) Prevention of intimidation in fair housing cases Section 901 of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3631 ) is amended by inserting sexual orientation (as such term is defined in section 802 of this Act), gender identity (as such term is defined in section 802 of this Act), after sex, each place that term appears.