Equality Act
Sponsored By: Representative Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]
Unknown
Summary
Equality Act Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation in places of public accommodation. Defines: "sex" to include a sex stereotype, sexual orientation or gender identity, and pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition; "sexual orientation" as homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality; and "gender identity" as gender-related identity, appearance, mannerisms, or characteristics, regardless of the individual's designated sex at birth. Expands the categories of public accommodations to include places or establishments that provide: exhibitions, recreation, exercise, amusement, gatherings, or displays; goods, services, or programs, including a store, a shopping center, an online retailer or service provider, a salon, a bank, a gas station, a food bank, a service or care center, a shelter, a travel agency, a funeral parlor, or a health care, accounting, or legal service; or transportation services. Prohibits "establishment" from being construed to be limited to a physical facility or place. Authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ) to bring a civil action if it receives a complaint from an individual who claims to be: denied equal utilization of a public facility owned, operated, or managed by a state (other than public schools or colleges) on account of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity; or denied admission to, or not permitted to continue attending, a public college by reason of sexual orientation or gender identity, thereby expanding DOJ's existing authority to bring such actions for complaints based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Revises public school desegregation standards to provide for the assignment of students without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity. Prohibits programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance from denying benefits to, or discriminating against, persons based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity, subject to the same exceptions and conditions that currently apply to unlawful employment practices based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Requires employers to recognize individuals in accordance with their gender identity if sex is a bona fide occupational qualification that is reasonably necessary to the normal operation of that particular business or enterprise. Provides government employees with protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Authorizes DOJ to intervene in equal protection actions in federal court on account of sexual orientation or gender identity. Requires protections against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin to include protections against discrimination based on: (1) an association with another person who is a member of such a protected class; or (2) a perception or belief, even if inaccurate, that an individual is a member of such a protected class. Prohibits the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 from providing a claim, defense, or basis for challenging such protections. Prohibits an individual from being denied access to a shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individual's gender identity. Amends the Fair Housing Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and jury selection standards to add sexual orientation and gender identity as classes protected against discrimination under such laws.
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Bill Overview
No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]
RI • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Yarmuth, John A. [D-KY-3]
KY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
TN • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
ROBERT BRADY
PA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
NV • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]
OH • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Payne, Donald M., Jr. [D-NJ-10]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Lawrence, Brenda L. [D-MI-14]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]
AL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
RON KIND
WI • D
Sponsored 7/28/2015
Rep. Perlmutter, Ed [D-CO-7]
CO • D
Sponsored 7/28/2015
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/28/2015
PETER VISCLOSKY
IN • D
Sponsored 9/10/2015
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
Sponsored 9/10/2015
EDDIE JOHNSON
TX • D
Sponsored 1/7/2016
Rep. Dold, Robert J. [R-IL-10]
IL • R
Sponsored 1/25/2016
Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]
NC • D
Sponsored 3/3/2016
Rep. Graham, Gwen [D-FL-2]
FL • D
Sponsored 3/3/2016
Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/10/2016
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN
FL • R
Sponsored 9/9/2016
WM. CLAY
MO • D
Sponsored 9/9/2016
Del. Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [D-GU-At Large]
GU • D
Sponsored 9/20/2016
Rep. Tsongas, Niki [D-MA-3]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Polis, Jared [D-CO-2]
CO • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Maloney, Sean Patrick [D-NY-18]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
WI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Sinema, Kyrsten [D-AZ-9]
AZ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Aguilar, Pete [D-CA-33]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Ashford, Brad [D-NE-2]
NE • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Bass, Karen [D-CA-37]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
XAVIER BECERRA
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-6]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3]
OR • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
OR • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2]
PA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Bustos, Cheri [D-IL-17]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
LOIS CAPPS
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
MICHAEL CAPUANO
MA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Cárdenas, Tony [D-CA-29]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Carney, John C., Jr. [D-DE-At Large]
DE • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Carson, Andre [D-IN-7]
IN • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-8]
PA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20]
TX • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]
MO • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
JAMES COOPER
TN • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]
VA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
JOHN CONYERS
MI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]
CT • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
JOSEPH CROWLEY
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
ELIJAH CUMMINGS
MD • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
SUSAN DAVIS
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
PETER DEFAZIO
OR • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]
CO • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Delaney, John K. [D-MD-6]
MD • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]
CT • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]
WA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Deutch, Theodore E. [D-FL-22]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Edwards, Donna F. [D-MD-4]
MD • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Ellison, Keith [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
ELIOT ENGEL
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-16]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Esty, Elizabeth H. [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
SAM FARR
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
CHAKA FATTAH
PA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Gabbard, Tulsi [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Grayson, Alan [D-FL-9]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]
TX • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7]
AZ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
LUIS GUTIERREZ
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Hahn, Janice [D-CA-44]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
ALCEE HASTINGS
FL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Heck, Denny [D-WA-10]
WA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Higgins, Brian [D-NY-26]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
RUBEN HINOJOSA
TX • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
MICHAEL HONDA
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Hoyer
MD • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
STEVE ISRAEL
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
TX • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Jeffries, Hakeem S. [D-NY-8]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9]
OH • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Himes, James A. [D-CT-4]
CT • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4]
GA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-8]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6]
WA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2]
NH • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
JAMES LANGEVIN
RI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]
CT • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-12]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
SANDER LEVIN
MI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
JOHN LEWIS
GA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Loebsack, David [D-IA-2]
IA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Lowenthal, Alan S. [D-CA-47]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
NITA LOWEY
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Lujan Grisham, Michelle [D-NM-1]
NM • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
CAROLYN MALONEY
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]
MN • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
JIM MCDERMOTT
WA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. McNerney, Jerry [D-CA-9]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Murphy, Patrick [D-FL-18]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Napolitano, Grace F. [D-CA-31]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
RICHARD NOLAN
MN • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. O'Rourke, Beto [D-TX-16]
TX • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [D-NJ-9]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Pelosi
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
DAVID PRICE
NC • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Rice, Kathleen M. [D-NY-4]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
BOBBY RUSH
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
TIM RYAN
OH • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
LORETTA SANCHEZ
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Sarbanes, John P. [D-MD-3]
MD • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Schrader, Kurt [D-OR-5]
OR • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3]
VA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
JOSE SERRANO
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Sires, Albio [D-NJ-8]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
LOUISE SLAUGHTER
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9]
WA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Speier, Jackie [D-CA-14]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Takai, Mark [D-HI-1]
HI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33]
TX • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Walz, Timothy J. [D-MN-1]
MN • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
MIKE DOYLE
PA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Kirkpatrick, Ann [D-AZ-1]
AZ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2]
WA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [D-MD-2]
MD • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Vela, Filemon [D-TX-34]
TX • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]
TX • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
CHARLES RANGEL
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2015
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov