Civil Rights Act of 1966
Summary of Provisions Contained in the House Bill as Passed

See Civil Rights Act of 1966 Killed by Senate Fillibuster for background.

Title I.

• Prohibited discrimination in the selection of federal jurors on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin or economic status.
• Provided uniform procedures for selection of federal jurors by a jury commission with jurors to be drawn publicly from a master jury wheel containing the names of atleast one-half of one percent of the registered voters in the district.
• Excluded persons illiterate in English or charged with or convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year.
• Authorized the defendant or the Attorney General to challenge selection procedures and authorized the court to stay criminal proceedings or dismiss the indictment pending selection of a conforming jury.

Title II.

• Prohibited discrimination in the selection of state jurors on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin or economic status.
• Prohibited distinction in selecting jurors on the basis of sex.
• Authorized the Attorney General, after notice to local officials, to seek injunctive relief to prevent denial of any defendant's rights.
• Authorized federal district courts to suspend state jury qualifications, to require use of objective criteria in selection of jurors, to require maintenance of records and to appoint a master to act as jury official.
• If such proceedings were initiated, required state officials to produce records and information on jury selection procedures and required state officials to preserve jury records for at least four years.

Title III.

• Authorized the potential victim to seek injunctive relief to prevent a person from engaging in any act which would deprive another of a right secured by the Constitution or by federal law on account of his race, color, religion or national origin, including the right to speak, assemble, petition or otherwise express himself for the purpose of securing equal rights. Authorized the Attorney General to bring such suits to end a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of such rights.

Title IV.

• Made it unlawful for any real estate agent or salesman or person engaging in more than two housing transactions with 12 months to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or number or age of children in the sale or rental of any dwelling, in the terms of sale or rental, in written or oral advertising or representations, in showing the dwelling, in representing that the dwelling was unavailable or in providing access to multiple-listing services.
• Permitted a real estate broker or his agent to discriminate in the sale or rental of a dwelling on express written instruction to do so from an owner otherwise exempt, provided the broker or agent did not encourage or solicit the instruction.
• Made it unlawful for any such person to engage in any act which restricted the availability of housing to any person on the same grounds as listed above; and prohibited inducing sale or lease by representations about the entry into the neighborhood of persons of a particular race.
• Exempted persons renting rooms in their own homes, owner-occupants of dwellings of no more than four living units and nonprofit religious, charitable and educational organizations.
• Prohibited banks and other institutions, but only those in the business of lending, from discriminating in financing home purchases or improvements.
• Authorized any party to seek court relief to enforce the Title; authorized federal district courts to defer to state fair housing agencies before continuing proceedings: and authorized the Attorney General to intervene in such private suits and to initiate suits to prevent patterns or practices of discrimination.
• Established a Fair Housing Board to hear charges filed by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development after the latter's investigation of complaints; authorized the Board to issue orders for appropriate relief and to seek enforcement orders through circuit courts of appeals following procedures used by the National Labor Relations Board.
• Directed the Secretary to make a study of discrimination in housing and to publicize the results.

Title V.

• Made it unlawful to injure or intimidate any person because of his race, color, religion or national origin lawfully engaging in voting, campaigning, pollwatching, attending public school, participating in a publicly administered program, applying for employment or working, engaging in a housing transaction, serving on a jury, using any vehicle or common carrier, participating in any federally aided activity or enjoying goods or services of any public accommodation.
• Made it unlawful to injure or intimidate any person in order to discourage him from engaging in such activities or having urged others to participate.
• Made it unlawful to injure or intimidate public officials in order to discourage them from affording equal treatment in participating in such activities.
• Set penalties at a $1,000 fine and one year in jail; $10,000 fine and 10 years in jail if bodily injury resulted; and any term of years or life in jail if death resulted.
• Made it unlawful for any person to move in interstate commerce or use the mails with intent to incite to riot, to commit any crime of violence, arson or bombing or any other felony under state or federal law or to assist or encourage others in commission of such crimes; and set penalties at up to a $10,000 fine and five years in prison.

Title VI.

• Amended Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to authorize the Attorney General to bring suit, after notice to local officials and upon written complaint from an aggrieved individual, to desegregate public schools and accommodations.
• Provided that desegregation in such suits should not mean the assignment of pupils to public schools to overcome racial imbalance and amended Title VI of the 1964 Act to include a similar proviso regarding racial imbalance.

Title VII.

• Amended Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 to authorize the Attorney General to permit local election officials to destroy election records.

Title VIII.

• Authorized an open-ended appropriation to carry out provisions of the Act.
• Required the Attorney General to report annually to Congress and the President on enforcement and other activities undertaken pursuant to the various civil rights laws.

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