{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/s1858-114/featured_equality-act-1460678592.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/s1858-114/featured_large_equality-act-1460678592.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/s1858-114.png"},"introduced_on":"2015-07-23","title_override":"Adding Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation to the List of Protected Classes","summary_override":"

This bill would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity in education, employment, housing, credit, and federal jury service. It would also prohibit discrimination (through changes to existing civil rights laws) in “public accommodations” and federal funding on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

The definition of public accommodations under the Civil Right Act of 1964 would be expanded to cover nearly every entity that offers goods, services, or programs — including retailers, banks, and transportation or healthcare providers, among others. For example, public bathrooms count as a \"public accommodation\" — so it would be illegal to deny a person access to a public restroom based on their gender identity.

Sexual orientation and gender identity join the list of already protected classes including race, color, religion, sex, disability status and national origin. This applies to public and private sector entities with at least 15 employees, as well as labor organizations.

Existing religious exemption would remain in place, so religious entities could still hire individuals of a particular faith to do work related to religious activities. However, defendants could not use the Religious Freedom Restoration Act as a defense to alleged discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Dept. of Justice (DOJ) and the Attorney General would be authorized to initiate cases against state and local governments for discrimination that occurs in publicly owned facilities other than public schools and public colleges. Given that sexual orientation and gender identity would be added to the list of protected classes, the DOJ could also intervene in equal protection cases.

","official_title":"A bill to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and for other purposes","short_title":"Equality Act","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"Equality Act\n\nAmends 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.\n\nDefines:\n\n \"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:\n\n 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...","summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.","impact":"Those who could be discriminated against based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, public and private entities, the Dept. of Justice, and the Attorney General.","argument_for":"The law needs to protect those who could be discriminated against based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Adding them to the list of protected classes under the Civil Rights Act will give discrimination victims recourse.","argument_against":"States are already adopting laws to prevent discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The federal government shouldn’t compel business owners to engage in activities that go against their religious beliefs.","bill_type":"s","published":true,"type":"FederalBill","id":"s1858-114","bill_id":"s1858-114","formal_id":"S. 1858","chamber":"senate","congress":114,"last_action_at":"2015-07-23T00:00:00.000Z","active":false,"enacted":false,"enacted_at":null,"vetoed":false,"last_vote_at":null,"debated_on":null,"congress_url":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th/senate-bill/1858","plain_text_url":"http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114s1858is/html/BILLS-114s1858is.htm","shareable_image_url":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/s1858-114.png","congress_full_text_url":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th/senate-bill/1858/text","is_current_congress":false,"last_version_on":"2015-07-23","related_bill_ids":["hr3185-114","hr5586-114"],"progress":"Introduced","house_passage_result":false,"senate_passage_result":false,"position_count":1497,"committees":[{"name":"Committee on the Judiciary","chamber":"senate","committee_id":"SSJU","subcommittee":false}],"links":{"rollCalls":"/api/roll_calls?bill_id=s1858-114","details":"/api/bills/s1858-114/details","sharingMessage":"/api/sharing_messages/s1858-114","positionsFor":"/api/bills/s1858-114/positions/for","positionsAgainst":"/api/bills/s1858-114/positions/against"},"upcoming":false,"cosponsors_count":42,"slug":"s1858-114-equality-act","latest_chamber_votes_id":null,"official_url":null,"target_video":true,"following":false,"vote_count":15016,"yea_vote_count":10528,"nay_vote_count":4470,"passed_house":false,"passed_senate":false,"vote_id":null,"my_position_id":null,"topic_ids":["civil-rights","government","legal-affairs"],"issue_ids":["civil-rights","social-justice","federal-agencies","government","legal-affairs","lgbtq","discrimination"],"sponsor_id":571}],"votes":[],"issues":[{"id":"civil-rights","name":"Civil Rights","slug":"civil-rights","description":"Federal legislation related to Civil Rights protections and can encompass: abortion, age discrimination, voting rights, women’s rights, racial and ethnic relations. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. ","page_title":"Civil Rights legislation encompassing discrimination, privacy and the first amendment - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/civil-rights/black_civil-rights-1429042036.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/civil-rights/grey_civil-rights-1429042036.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/civil-rights/white_civil-rights-1429042036.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"social-justice","name":"Social Justice","slug":"social-justice","description":"Federal legislation related to social justice (or injustice). Social justice in this context is the belief that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. Think legislation that addresses #YesAllWomen, #BlackLivesMatter, #HandsUpDontShoot, #CarryThatWeight, #YaMeCanse, #ICantBreathe #AmINext, #IfTheyGunnedMeDown, and the countless other instances of social injustice that have found their place across the nation and spoken up about online. ","page_title":"","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/social-justice/black_social-justice-1429042049.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/social-justice/grey_social-justice-1429042049.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/social-justice/white_social-justice-1429042049.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"federal-agencies","name":"Federal Agencies","slug":"federal-agencies","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding Federal Agencies. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. \r\n","page_title":"Federal Agencies Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/federal-agencies/black_federal-agencies-1429042054.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/federal-agencies/grey_federal-agencies-1429042054.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/federal-agencies/white_federal-agencies-1429042054.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"government","name":"Government","slug":"government","description":"Federal legislation related to the operations of the US Federal Government. Bills can encompass government administration, regulation of political parties, the US postal service, US territories and public contracts.","page_title":"US Government - Federal legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/government/black_government-1453508811.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/government/grey_government-1453508811.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/government/white_government-1453508811.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"legal-affairs","name":"Legal Affairs","slug":"legal-affairs","description":"The US Congress regulates many aspects of American Legal Affairs, including: the US Federal Courts(Appellate and District), Judges, the US Supreme Court, Civil Action, The Constitution and Constitutional Amendments.","page_title":"US Federal legislation related to Legal Affairs, including the Constitution and the Supreme Court - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/legal-affairs/black_legal-affairs-1429042044.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/legal-affairs/grey_legal-affairs-1429042044.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/legal-affairs/white_legal-affairs-1429042044.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"lgbtq","name":"LGBTQ","slug":"lgbtq","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding LGBTQ. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. \r\n","page_title":"LGBTQ Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/lgbtq/black_lgbtq-1429042062.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/lgbtq/grey_lgbtq-1429042062.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/lgbtq/white_lgbtq-1429042062.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"discrimination","name":"Discrimination","slug":"discrimination","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding Discrimination. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about.","page_title":"Discrimination Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/discrimination/black_discrimination-1429042065.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/discrimination/grey_discrimination-1429042065.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/discrimination/white_discrimination-1429042065.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false}],"users":[{"name":"Achal","vote_count":39,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/1197442683633839/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/1197442683633839/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/1197442683633839/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/1197442683633839/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/LWgQeRBm/following","followers":"/api/users/LWgQeRBm/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":"@achalthakore","facebook_id":"","youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":123,"is_following":null,"influence_score":50,"influence_level":20,"follower_count":1,"following_count":9,"position_count":36,"id":"LWgQeRBm","partner_id":null}],"bill_position":{"flagged":false,"id":"97e1f7a1-cb47-430e-9a1b-0ae82b5d8cb2","argument_for":"Yeah. This is a reality whether people like it or not. We should just help these people live the normal lives they want to lead. Everyone wants to be understood we just have to try and understand. Let's understand. ","argument_against":null,"show_argument_for":true,"show_argument_against":false,"upvote_count":0,"upvotes_for_count":0,"upvotes_against_count":null,"has_upvoted":false,"endorsement_count":0,"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/positions/97e1f7a1-cb47-430e-9a1b-0ae82b5d8cb2"},"body":"Yeah. This is a reality whether people like it or not. We should just help these people live the normal lives they want to lead. Everyone wants to be understood we just have to try and understand. Let's understand. ","stance":"yea","created_at":"2016-05-08T13:58:07.961Z","shareable_image_url":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/positions/97e1f7a1-cb47-430e-9a1b-0ae82b5d8cb2.png","note_color":null,"note_text":null,"bill_id":"s1858-114","user_id":"LWgQeRBm","endorser_ids":[]}}

Like Causes?

Achal

Adding Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation to the List of Protected Classes