Customer Non-Discrimination Act

The Customer Non-Discrimination Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to expand federal protections against discrimination in public accommodations. Currently, federal law prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin, but does not explicitly cover sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. This bill would add those categories to federal civil rights protections.

The bill would apply these protections broadly across many types of businesses and services that serve the public, including retail stores, restaurants, hotels, banks, healthcare providers, transportation services, salons, and online retailers. It would prohibit these establishments from denying service or access based on a person's sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The bill also specifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act cannot be used as a legal defense against these non-discrimination requirements.

If enacted, the legislation would create uniform federal protections across all states, addressing what supporters describe as a patchwork of state and local laws that leave some Americans without consistent legal recourse against discrimination in public places and services.