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Jun 25, 2021 · June 25, 2021. FACT SHEET: The Equality Act Will Provide Long Overdue Civil Rights Protections for Millions of Americans. Briefing Room. Statements and Releases. Freedom and equality are...
Apr 20, 2021 · April 20, 2021. Church Law. 0. On February 25, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Equality Act, legislation that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
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- What Is A Public Accommodation?
- When Are Churches Public Accommodations?
- What Would Change About Public Accommodations Under The Equality Act?
- How Would The Equality Act Affect Churches?
- What Legal Protections Do Churches have?
- What Counts as A Religious Activity?
As it stands today, only a few categories of businesses are covered by the federal law that prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation. The list, which includes most hotels, restaurants, movie theaters and sports arenas, was carefully crafted, as legal scholar Garrett Epps wrote for The Atlanticin 2015. It took aim at the sites wher...
To explain how public accommodation status works, Warbelow offered a hypothetical example featuring a pool operated by a Jewish community center. Like other private clubs, the Jewish community center has the right to limit its membership and allow only club members to use its pool. But if the center decided to have an open swim day in order to boos...
Under the Equality Act, many more businesses and types of retail activity would be subject to anti-discrimination law. It expands the list of covered public accommodations to include “any establishment that provides a good, service or program.” Supporters have argued that such a change is necessary in order to root out discrimination. The narrow sc...
The Equality Act does not exempt religious organizations. Instead, it creates new opportunities for churches to be considered places of public accommodation by adding things like “public gatherings” and “food banks” to the list of covered activities and establishments. “You could see how a church opening up its premises to give away free food could...
In addition to increasing the likelihood of legal action, the Equality Act would limit the application of existing religious freedom law. It says the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which limits government interference with religious activity, can’t be used to challenge or defend against anti-discrimination claims. “The bill would keep churches ...
Joseph emphasized that, under the Equality Act, the government would still have no right to interfere with activities that are clearly religious. Churches could continue to set eligibility requirements for membership and pastors could preach what they believe. “A church would never be required to oversee or conduct a wedding that is not consistent ...
Sep 1, 2021 · For the next 45 years, the Equality Act, in one form or another, found its way back in front of Congress. In 2019, the Equality Act passed the House for the first time. Even though it died in the Senate, the bill returned in early 2021 and the House passed it again. However, the bill is once again all but dead in the Senate.
Feb 18, 2021 · AN ACT. To prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and for other purposes. March 2 (legislative day, March 1), 2021. Read the first time. March 2, 2021. Read the second time and placed on the calendar. Text for H.R.5 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Equality Act.
Mar 10, 2021 · Faith groups are deeply split over the Equality Act. Evangelicals, Catholics, Latter-day Saints and Orthodox Jews say it limits religious freedom. Mainline Protestants and other progressive...
Feb 24, 2021 · Susan Walsh/AP. Updated Feb. 25, 4:39 p.m. ET. The House of Representatives voted on Thursday to pass the Equality Act, a bill that would ban discrimination against people based on sexual...
