Equality Act would add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing national civil rights laws covering employment, housing, public accommodations, credit, jury service, and more, and it would expand the definition of public accommodations, therefore providing benefits for women, people of color, and others in addition to LGBTQ+ Americans.
Currently, 29 states do not have laws banning anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination. It was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in February and had its first hearing in the Senate — before the Judiciary Committee — last week.It passed the House two years ago but never came to a vote in the Senate, which then had a Republican majority, and Donald Trump opposed it.