H.R. 4448: Restoring Equal Opportunity Act

This bill, known as the Restoring Equal Opportunity Act, aims to amend existing civil rights laws in the United States by prohibiting "disparate impact" claims in both employment and housing practices. Below are the key provisions of the bill:

Definition of Disparate Impact

The term "disparate impact" refers to situations where a policy is neutral on its surface but disproportionately affects a specific group protected by civil rights laws. Under this bill, claims alleging such impacts will no longer be permitted.

Amendments to the Civil Rights Act of 1964

The proposed changes to Section 703 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 would:

• Prohibit any individual from bringing an action for unlawful employment practices based on disparate impact.

Amendments to the Fair Housing Act

Changes to Section 807 of the Fair Housing Act would similarly:

• Prohibit any person from filing a claim alleging a discriminatory housing practice based on disparate impact.

Nullifying Regulations

The bill also seeks to nullify specific regulations previously established under the Civil Rights Act. These include:

• The regulations approved by the President that were issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission related to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
• Presidential approval for certain regulations from the Department of Justice concerning Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

General Sentiment

Additionally, the bill expresses a general policy goal from the Senate to eliminate disparate-impact claims to uphold constitutional and civil rights protections in the United States.

Relevant Companies

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