HI HCR5

Hawaii's House Concurrent Resolution urges the U.S. Congress to pass the federal Equality Act, which would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Protected areas under the proposed federal legislation include employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, and jury service.

Hawaii already provides state-level protections for sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in housing, public accommodations, employment, and jury selection (most recently through Act 40, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022).

The federal Equality Act has been introduced since 1974 and passed the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019 and 2021; current versions are H.R. 15 (with 215 co-sponsors) and S. 1503 (with 46 co-sponsors), supported by all four members of Hawaii's congressional delegation.

The resolution requests that certified copies be sent to the President, Vice President, congressional leadership, and Hawaii's congressional delegation, and that the full text be printed in the Congressional Record.