This bill expands protections against discrimination when people apply for loans, credit cards, mortgages, and other forms of credit. Right now, lenders are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or whether someone receives public assistance. This bill adds three new protected categories: sexual orientation, gender identity, and where someone lives (based on their zip code or census tract). This means lenders can't deny you credit or give you worse terms just because of who you are or where you live. The bill also makes violations of these rules criminal offenses, so lenders who discriminate could face criminal penalties, not just civil fines. To enforce these protections, the bill requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau—the federal agency that oversees consumer financial products—to check loan applications to make sure they follow these anti-discrimination rules. The agency also has to create a new Office of Fair Lending Testing to actively investigate whether lenders are following the law.

Fair Lending for All Act

Green, Al

Fair Lending for All Act This bill&nbsp;adds classes of individuals protected&nbsp;under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.With respect to credit transactions, the bill adds sexual orientation, gender identity, and an applicant's location based on zip code or census tract as classes protected against discrimination. (Currently, discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or because an applicant receives public assistance.)The bill establishes criminal penalties for violations of prohibited credit discrimination.The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is required to review loan applications for compliance with specified consumer laws and to establish an Office of Fair Lending Testing.