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Equality Act

S. 5 Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) In committee
Bill text PDF
  1. Introduced Jun 21
  2. Committee Jun 21
  3. Passed Senate Next
  4. Passed House Not yet
  5. To President Not yet
  6. Law Not yet
Where it stands
In committee, Jun 21, 2023Next: Senate vote
1225d ago Jun 21, 2023: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Final votes
No roll callsNo recorded vote on this bill yet
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1company, 1 filing
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Summary

Equality Act

Full summary5 paragraphs

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.

Library of Congress summary, Jun 21, 2023

Summary versions
  • Introduced in SenateJun 21, 2023

Official record from Congress.gov, the House Clerk and the Senate; lobbying from Lobbying Disclosure Act filings. Updated Oct 27, 2026.