Here is a sample of what’s going on around the country. You can share news from your state with advocacy@pflag.org for possible inclusion in a future newsletter. Alabama - State House holds committee hearings for “Don’t Say Gay,” misgendering protection bills. HB 244 would expand Alabama’s current restrictions on LGBTQ+ topics in the classroom to cover all grade levels, as well as banning Pride flags and other Pride symbols in schools. HB 246 would give educators and students legal protection to intentionally deadname and misgender trans students. Both bills were heard in committee on April 2nd, where most testifiers opposed both bills. California - State officials say they will not stop enforcing SAFETY Act, despite threats of losing federal funding. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said he would not back down and abandon enforcement of the law, which prevents school districts from adopting forced outing policies. The U.S. Department of Education said it would investigate the state over the SAFETY Act, claiming it violates the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA). State Assembly committee rejects anti-trans athlete bans. The Assembly’s Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism rejected two anti-trans athlete ban bills on April 1st following an hours-long hearing at which at least two PFLAG chapters were represented. LGBTQ+ orgs celebrate Trans Day of Visibility in Fresno. PFLAG Fresno, Trans-E-motion, Casita Feliz, and other organizations, as well as artists and vendors, came together to celebrate on March 30th. PFLAG National Regional Director—and president of PFLAG Fresno—Drew Harbaugh lent his voice to this story. Colorado - Bills to expand protections for trans people introduced in state legislature. HB 1309 would ban insurance companies from denying or limiting coverage for medically necessary care for trans and nonbinary people; HB 1312 would ban gender-specific dress codes in schools and would also shield trans and gender-affirming parents in child custody hearings. Florida - Police arrest trans woman who washed her hands in the women’s restroom at the state capitol. Marcy Rheintgen, 20, alerted state officials she planned to use the restroom to protest Florida’s 2023 law segregating sex-separated facilities by sex assigned at birth. Her arrest represents one of the first to be carried out under this law. State Senate revives “don’t say gay or trans at work” bill. The bill would require public employees to be identified as either male or female and would bar employers from directing their employees to respect their coworkers’ or their clients’ pronouns. Georgia - State legislature passes religious freedom bill. SB 36 passed the House on April 2nd, which restricts state and local governments’ ability to “substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion.” An amendment to ensure that this measure would not be used to discriminate against Georgians belonging to protected classes failed, and the bill passed without any such protections. The Governor indicated he would sign the bill, despite vetoing a different religious freedom bill last year. Legislature sends anti-trans athlete ban to the Governor’s desk. SB 1 passed both chambers along party-lines on March 31st. Should the Governor sign it into law, as expected, all schools from elementary through college would have to limit participation on athletic teams by sex assigned at birth, as well as separating bathrooms, locker rooms, and other facilities based on sex assigned at birth during athletic events. Kentucky - Trans woman confronted in state capitol for using women’s restroom; lawmaker comes to her defense. Carma Bell Marshall, a trans woman, was at the state capitol for a rally and was confronted by Rep. Bill Wesley and police officers as she left the restroom. State Senator Karen Berg later confronted Wesley about the incident, defending Marshall’s right to use the restroom. Maine - Officials in Maine will not comply with athlete ban executive order. Officials representing the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals’ Association, and Greely High School announced they would not comply with a voluntary agreement offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which would have settled a Title IX investigation if Maine agreed to ban trans athletes from participating in school sports. Maryland - Gov. Wes Moore critized during Trans Day of Visibility event. Gov. Moore presented Lee Blinder, the chair of the Maryland Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs, with a citation for Blinder’s work advocating for trans Marylanders. After accepting the award, Blinder criticized the Governor, stating that Maryland’s budget contained no money to support the needs of trans Marylanders and that bills to help the trans community had stalled in the legislature. Montana - Gov. Greg Gianforte signs two anti-trans bills into law. HB 121 takes immediate effect, and segregates public facilities like bathrooms, locker rooms, and shelters by sex assigned at birth. HB 300 extends the state’s already existing anti-trans athlete ban to include all school sports participation from kindergarten through college, and will take effect October 1st. New Hampshire - State House passes ban on medically necessary care for trans and nonbinary youth. HB 377 bans hormone therapy or puberty blockers for trans and nonbinary youth under 18. The bill passed the House on March 27th on a 197-167 vote. Ohio - Anti-LGBTQ+ provisions attached to state budget bill. The budget includes provisions like forcing libraries to put LGBTQ+-related books into restricted sections for adults only, prohibiting state agencies from flying Pride flags, and defining sex as binary and immutable. Utah - World’s largest trans flag displayed at state capitol. A 200 ft. long and 30 ft. wide trans flag was unfurled at the state capitol during a celebration of Trans Day of Visibility. The Utah Pride Center stated that the flag was the largest of its kind. Washington - Kennewick School Board files complaint with U.S. Education Department over trans inclusive policies. The school board stated in its complaint that complying with state law, which mandates trans-inclusive athletic and facilities policies, are at odds with the Administration’s interpretation of Title IX, and thus the school district risks losing federal funds by following state law. PFLAG Benton-Franklin hosts Trans Day of Visibility event. The event on March 30th included entertainment, community resources, and more. Wisconsin - La Crosse elects its first Black and first openly gay mayor. Shaundel Washington-Spivey was elected with about 51% of the vote on April 1st. He was previously elected to the La Crosse School Board and currently serves on Gov. Tony Evers’ Council on Equity and Inclusion. | 
