Federal - S 788
"Equality Act" (OPPOSED)
Introduced
March 13, 2019
Description
For purposes of determining discrimination, the Equality Act would change the federal definition of "sex" from its objective biological meaning (i.e., male/female) to encompass factors such as gender identity and sexual orientation.
Our Position
Oppose
Original Sponsor 1
Co-Sponsors 46
- Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
- Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO)
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
- Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)
- Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
- Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
- Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD)
- Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE)
- Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA)
- Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
- Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE)
- Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
- Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
- Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
- Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
- Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA)
- Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
- Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
- Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
- Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL)
- Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)
- Sen. Angus King (I-ME)
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
- Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
- Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA)
- Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
- Sen. Christopher Murphy (D-CT)
- Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
- Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI)
- Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)
- Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
- Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT)
- Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI)
- Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY)
- Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
- Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ)
- Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN)
- Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
- Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT)
- Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM)
- Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
- Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA)
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
- Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Latest Actions See More/Less
March 13, 2019 — Original cosponsor(s): 46
Baldwin, (D-Wis.) Harris, K. (D-Calif.) Sanders, (I-Vt.) Bennet, (D-Colo.) Hassan, (D-N.H.) Schatz, (D-Hawaii) Blumenthal, (D-Conn.) Heinrich, (D-N.M.) Schumer, (D-N.Y.) Booker, (D-N.J.) Hirono, (D-Hawaii) Shaheen, (D-N.H.) Brown, S. (D-Ohio) Jones, (D-Ala.) Sinema, (D-Ariz.) Cantwell, (D-Wash.) Kaine, (D-Va.) Smith, (D-Minn.) Cardin, (D-Md.) King, A. (I-Maine) Stabenow, (D-Mich.) Carper, (D-Del.) Klobuchar, (D-Minn.) Tester, (D-Mont.) Casey, (D-Pa.) Leahy, (D-Vt.) Udall, (D-N.M.) Collins, S. (R-Maine) Markey, (D-Mass.) Van Hollen, (D-Md.) Coons, (D-Del.) Menendez, (D-N.J.) Warner, (D-Va.) Cortez Masto, (D-Nev.) Murphy, C. (D-Conn.) Warren, (D-Mass.) Duckworth, (D-Ill.) Murray, (D-Wash.) Whitehouse, (D-R.I.) Durbin, (D-Ill.) Peters, G. (D-Mich.) Wyden, (D-Ore.) Feinstein, (D-Calif.) Reed, J. (D-R.I.) Gillibrand, (D-N.Y.) Rosen, (D-Nev.) March 13, 2019 — Read twice and referred to: Senate Judiciary.Congressional Record p. S1845
Commentary
Bill text and status
This bill would require those who do not share another person's perceptions and preferences regarding sexuality to nevertheless submit to those perceptions and preferences, under penalty of law. The Equality Act would force health professionals to participate in certain procedures, practices and prescriptions even if objected to on medical or ethical grounds. The bill would outlaw sex-segregated facilities (e.g., showers, locker rooms, shelters) designed to protect privacy. It also would deny the protections of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.