WHAT’S HAPPENING IN AMERICA:

As the nation hurtles toward the most consequential election in recent memory, the tide continues to turn on the anti-LGBTQ+ agenda in states with Republican-majority legislatures. Last week, Georgia became the latest state to see advocates defeat anti-equality legislation, with every anti-LGBTQ+ bill (more than 20 in total) failing to make it over the finish line before session came to a close. MAGA lawmakers in the state, aware that their agenda is deeply unpopular, had even circumvented standard processes and hijacked legislation that had broad bipartisan support. But their shady attempts to pervert unrelated bills failed.

In neighboring Florida, more than 20 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were defeated in this year’s legislative session. In West Virginia, a similar story unfolded. And in Arizona, an effort to put an anti-LGBTQ+ measure on the ballot this November failed after transgender Arizonans met with a GOP senator, moving him to oppose the bill. The anti-LGBTQ+ agenda is a political loser – and continues to collapse in states that MAGA has identified as fertile ground.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING THIS WEEK:

All eyes are on two Governors this week who have the chance to veto anti-LGBTQ+ legislation: Kansas’ Laura Kelly and Wisconsin’s Tony Evers. Governor Kelly received a bill to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth last week from the Kansas Senate. She vetoed similar legislation last year, noting that “companies have made it clear that they are not interested in doing business with states that discriminate against workers and their families.”

Meanwhile, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has committed to vetoing a bill that would bar transgender students from playing sports with their friends. In a statement last month, Governor Evers said: “I’ll keep my promise to veto any bill making Wisconsin less safe, less inclusive and less welcoming for LGBTQ people and kids — including this one. And I’ll be damn proud to do it.”

OTHER THINGS WE’RE WATCHING:

Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills

• Arizona: Last Monday, the House Appropriations Committee heard SB1166. This bill would force schools to out transgender students to their parents and permit school staff to intentionally misgender them. On Thursday, HB2183 was transmitted to the governor. This bill would require health care entities to provide parents access to minor's medical records including for services that do not require parental approval, such as emergency mental health treatment.

• Idaho: Last Wednesday, Governor Brad Little signed HB668, a gender affirming care ban. This new law declares that gender-affirming medical care is never medically necessary for a minor or adult. It also prevents the Idaho Medicaid program from providing any coverage for gender affirming medical care, treats gender affirming medical care as non-tax deductible, and prevents any publicly funded medical care providers from providing gender affirming care. It is the first law signed this year that takes medical care away from adults as well as children.

• Tennessee:

  • Last week, the Senate passed SB1810, a bill that would force school staff to out transgender students without their consent.

  • On Monday, the Senate passed SB2766. This bill would remove a teacher's obligation to ensure that students are not denied or excluded from important educational programs or benefits on the basis of their family status or their sexual orientation. It would also remove the requirement that sex ed programs in school be medically accurate. Its House companion, HB1634, was heard on Wednesday in the House Education Administration Committee.

  • On Wednesday, HB2610, passed the House State Government Committee and was recommended to the Government Operations Committee. This bill would terminate the human rights commission with no wind-down period, create the human rights division in the office of attorney general, and transfer the commission's functions to the new division.

  • On Thursday, the Senate passed SB2749, a bill that would erode trust between students and trusted school staff by forcing school employees to broadly disclose personal information about a student's well-being to their parents. The Senate also passed SB1858, a bill that would restrict access to school library collections.

  • The House is scheduled to vote today on HB2169, a bill that would create a cause of action for a foster or adoptive parent who believes they've been discriminated against as foster or adoptive parents because of their views around sexual orientation or gender identity. It would also allow placement of an LGBTQ+ child with a family who believes that LGBTQ+ identities are sinful or problematic and allow foster and adoptive parents to enroll them in conversion therapy.

THE LAST WORD:

“On this Trans Day of Visibility, my heart overflows with love and appreciation for the transgender and non-binary individuals who grace our lives. Your courage in being true to yourselves inspires us all. Today, we celebrate you—your resilience, your achievements, and your beautiful souls. Together, we will continue to advocate for a world where everyone is celebrated and respected for who they are, without exception.”

HRC President Kelley Robinson on Transgender Day of Visibility

To follow HRC’s state legislation work on Twitter, visit here. For Instagram, visit here.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ+ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

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