Senator’s legislation protects Arizonans from discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema and a group of U.S. Senators introduced the Equality Act – legislation protecting Arizonans from discrimination in housing, education, or employment based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
“In Arizona, we believe that everyone has the right to define their destiny and that no one should be treated differently under the law. Our Equality Act protects Arizonans from discrimination so they can build good lives for themselves and their families,” said Sinema.
The Sinema-backed Equality Act protects Arizonans from discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system. This legislation expands public accommodations to include exhibitions; recreation, exercise, amusement, gatherings, or displays; goods, services, or programs; and transportation services.
Last year, Sinema led negotiations and passage of the bipartisan Respect for Marriage law – legislation ensuring same-sex couples are afforded the same protections as all marriages while respecting religious liberties. Sinema’s bipartisan Respect for Marriage law requires the federal government to recognize a marriage between two individuals if the marriage was valid in the state it was performed. Additionally, Sinema’s bipartisan legislation guarantees that valid marriages between two individuals are given full faith and credit, regardless of the couple’s sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.
In 2006, Sinema led the bipartisan effort to successfully defeat Proposition 107, which would have banned same-sex marriages in Arizona and negatively impacted unmarried couples, common law marriages, and domestic partnerships. Sinema brought together Arizonans of all political stripes – Democrats, Republicans, and Independents – to make Arizona the first state in the country to defeat a state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.