Equality Act of 2017 introduced in Congress

More than 200 members of Congress introduced the Equality Act, a comprehensive federal bill that prohibits discrimination against LGBT people and women. In addition to providing explicit nondiscrimination protections to LGBT people, the Equality Act fills gaps in our nation’s civil rights laws for women and people of color.

The Equality Act of 2017 was spearheaded by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act to bar anti-LGBT discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations, as well as other areas including jury service, credit, education and federal programs.

The bill was previously introduced in the last Congress. Equality California has twice sponsored resolutions by the California Legislature calling on Congress to pass the Equality Act. Currently over half of all LGBT Americans live in jurisdictions where they can be denied service, employment or housing because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

via press release