Legis Daily

Equality Act

USA118th CongressS-5| Senate 
| Updated: 6/21/2023
Jeff Merkley

Jeff Merkley

Democratic Senator

Oregon

Cosponsors (50)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic)Mazie K. Hirono (Democratic)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Margaret Wood Hassan (Democratic)Jon Ossoff (Democratic)Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)Catherine Cortez Masto (Democratic)Richard J. Durbin (Democratic)Edward J. Markey (Democratic)Charles E. Schumer (Democratic)Jack Reed (Democratic)Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democratic)Elizabeth Warren (Democratic)Ben Ray Luján (Democratic)Alex Padilla (Democratic)Christopher A. Coons (Democratic)Thomas R. Carper (Democratic)Mark R. Warner (Democratic)Angus S. King (Independent)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Laphonza R. Butler (Democratic)John W. Hickenlooper (Democratic)Robert P. Casey (Democratic)Tim Kaine (Democratic)Kyrsten Sinema (Independent)Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic)Jacky Rosen (Democratic)Chris Van Hollen (Democratic)Christopher Murphy (Democratic)Jon Tester (Democratic)Debbie Stabenow (Democratic)Martin Heinrich (Democratic)Michael F. Bennet (Democratic)Patty Murray (Democratic)John Fetterman (Democratic)Tina Smith (Democratic)Sherrod Brown (Democratic)Bernard Sanders (Independent)Brian Schatz (Democratic)Maria Cantwell (Democratic)Tammy Baldwin (Democratic)Cory A. Booker (Democratic)Peter Welch (Democratic)Benjamin L. Cardin (Democratic)Robert Menendez (Democratic)Raphael G. Warnock (Democratic)Gary C. Peters (Democratic)Ron Wyden (Democratic)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)Mark Kelly (Democratic)

Judiciary Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
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.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 116-788
Equality Act

Bill from Previous Congress

S 117-393
Equality Act
Jun 21, 2023

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 118-15
Introduced in House
Jun 21, 2023
Introduced in Senate
Jun 21, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 116-788
    Equality Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 117-393
    Equality Act


  • June 21, 2023

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 118-15
    Introduced in House


  • June 21, 2023
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 21, 2023
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Related Bills

  • HR 118-15: Equality Act
  • HR 118-4393: Customer Non-Discrimination Act
  • HR 118-4439: Fair and Equal Housing Act of 2023
Civil actions and liabilityConsumer creditDue process and equal protectionElementary and secondary educationEmployment discrimination and employee rightsGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementHigher educationHousing discriminationJudicial procedure and administrationMuseums, exhibitions, cultural centersReligionRetail and wholesale tradesSex, gender, sexual orientation discriminationSports and recreation facilities

Equality Act

USA118th CongressS-5| Senate 
| Updated: 6/21/2023
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.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 116-788
Equality Act

Bill from Previous Congress

S 117-393
Equality Act
Jun 21, 2023

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 118-15
Introduced in House
Jun 21, 2023
Introduced in Senate
Jun 21, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 116-788
    Equality Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 117-393
    Equality Act


  • June 21, 2023

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 118-15
    Introduced in House


  • June 21, 2023
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 21, 2023
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Jeff Merkley

Jeff Merkley

Democratic Senator

Oregon

Cosponsors (50)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic)Mazie K. Hirono (Democratic)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Margaret Wood Hassan (Democratic)Jon Ossoff (Democratic)Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)Catherine Cortez Masto (Democratic)Richard J. Durbin (Democratic)Edward J. Markey (Democratic)Charles E. Schumer (Democratic)Jack Reed (Democratic)Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democratic)Elizabeth Warren (Democratic)Ben Ray Luján (Democratic)Alex Padilla (Democratic)Christopher A. Coons (Democratic)Thomas R. Carper (Democratic)Mark R. Warner (Democratic)Angus S. King (Independent)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Laphonza R. Butler (Democratic)John W. Hickenlooper (Democratic)Robert P. Casey (Democratic)Tim Kaine (Democratic)Kyrsten Sinema (Independent)Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic)Jacky Rosen (Democratic)Chris Van Hollen (Democratic)Christopher Murphy (Democratic)Jon Tester (Democratic)Debbie Stabenow (Democratic)Martin Heinrich (Democratic)Michael F. Bennet (Democratic)Patty Murray (Democratic)John Fetterman (Democratic)Tina Smith (Democratic)Sherrod Brown (Democratic)Bernard Sanders (Independent)Brian Schatz (Democratic)Maria Cantwell (Democratic)Tammy Baldwin (Democratic)Cory A. Booker (Democratic)Peter Welch (Democratic)Benjamin L. Cardin (Democratic)Robert Menendez (Democratic)Raphael G. Warnock (Democratic)Gary C. Peters (Democratic)Ron Wyden (Democratic)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)Mark Kelly (Democratic)

Judiciary Committee

Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Related Bills

  • HR 118-15: Equality Act
  • HR 118-4393: Customer Non-Discrimination Act
  • HR 118-4439: Fair and Equal Housing Act of 2023
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Civil actions and liabilityConsumer creditDue process and equal protectionElementary and secondary educationEmployment discrimination and employee rightsGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementHigher educationHousing discriminationJudicial procedure and administrationMuseums, exhibitions, cultural centersReligionRetail and wholesale tradesSex, gender, sexual orientation discriminationSports and recreation facilities