Digital Civil and Human Rights Act of 2022
Latest action (7 Apr 2022): Introduced
What this bill does
H.R. 7449, the Digital Civil and Human Rights Act of 2022, would prohibit federal, state, local, and tribal governments and U.S. courts from using automated decision systems—software or processes that use computation to inform a decision—that have a disparate impact based on race, national origin, color, religion, disability, or sex. It would similarly amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to bar places of public accommodation and employers from using such systems if they produce a disparate impact. Federal agencies would be required to publish "bias datasheets" for systems with potential for disparate impact, following standards to be developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology within 18 months.
The bill also addresses the Department of Defense and intelligence community: it would bar DOD from funding automated systems with "adverse distinctions" based on race, religion, sex, health, age, or similar criteria, require a public bias-datasheet repository and a report to Congress on implementation, and require the Director of National Intelligence to report on similar issues within intelligence agencies.
This bill would affect government agencies, courts, employers, and public accommodations that use automated decision-making tools, as well as NIST, DOD, and the intelligence community, which would face new reporting, rulemaking, and standard-setting duties.
The bill was introduced April 7, 2022, in the 117th Congress and referred to multiple House committees. It did not receive a vote and did not become law; it would need to be reintroduced in a future Congress to be considered again.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Digital Civil and Human Rights Act of 2022
This bill establishes prohibitions on the use of automated systems in a discriminatory manner.
Specifically, the bill prohibits (1) a federal agency, U.S. court, or state, local, or tribal government from using any automated decision system that has a disparate impact on the basis of race, national origin, color, religion, disability, or sex; or (2) the use of automated systems with bias by the Department of Defense. Each federal agency must maintain on its public website a bias data sheet for each automated decision system used by such agency with the potential for a disparate impact on such bases.
The bill prohibits a respondent, in connection with the selection or referral of applicants or candidates for employment or promotion, from using any automated decision system that has a disparate impact on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
The bill prohibits places of public accommodation from using in their operations that affect commerce any decision system that has a disparate impact on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
The bill requires (1) the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to submit to Congress a report on the use within the intelligence community of automated decision systems with an adverse distinction based on race, religion, sex, health, age, or any other similar criteria; and (2) the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop, publish, and maintain standards for reporting bias in an automated decision system.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 7449 do?
- H.R. 7449, the Digital Civil and Human Rights Act of 2022, would prohibit federal, state, local, and tribal governments and U.S. courts from using automated decision systems—software or processes that use computation to inform a decision—that have a disparate impact based on race, national origin, color, religion, disability, or sex. It would similarly amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to bar places of public accommodation and employers from using such systems if they produce a disparate impact. Federal agencies would be required to publish "bias datasheets" for systems with potential for disparate impact, following standards to be developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology within 18 months. The bill also addresses the Department of Defense and intelligence community: it would bar DOD from funding automated systems with "adverse distinctions" based on race, religion, sex, health, age, or similar criteria, require a public bias-datasheet repository and a report to Congress on implementation, and require the Director of National Intelligence to report on similar issues within intelligence agencies. This bill would affect government agencies, courts, employers, and public accommodations that use automated decision-making tools, as well as NIST, DOD, and the intelligence community, which would face new reporting, rulemaking, and standard-setting duties. The bill was introduced April 7, 2022, in the 117th Congress and referred to multiple House committees. It did not receive a vote and did not become law; it would need to be reintroduced in a future Congress to be considered again.
- Has H.R. 7449 become law?
- Not yet. As of 7 Apr 2022, H.R. 7449 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 7449?
- H.R. 7449 was sponsored by Rep. Anthony Brown [D-MD4, 2017-2022] (Democrat-MD), with 2 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 7449?
- Introduced (7 Apr 2022).
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