Warning: While some of the following stories describe legislative actions to celebrate and affirm LGBTQ+ people, many cover legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans and non-binary youth. Please be kind to yourself and use your discretion while reading this section. Advisory: State news is representative but not exhaustive due to space constraint; feel free to forward news about your state to advocacy@pflag.org to consider for inclusion. California - San Diego to create LGBTQ+ youth shelter. The San Diego Housing Commission selected a nonprofit, The LGBT Center, to manage the shelter which will have 45 beds available when opened. San Francisco is ending its boycott of anti-LGBTQ+ states. The Board of Supervisors voted 7-4 on April 25th to repeal its ban on city-funded travel to 30 states that restrict abortion, voting and LGBTQ+ rights, noting that the ban has not achieved intended results. Iowa - House approves Senate “Don’t Say Gay” education bill. SF 496 would bar any instruction on LGBTQ+ people and topics from grades K-6. The bill is expected to be signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds. Kansas- Legislature overrides Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto to enact the US's most sweeping anti-trans bathroom access ban; also requires trans-erasing data collection. On April 26th and 27th, the Senate and House respectively voted and set an effective date of July 1st; the law that applies to bathrooms in schools, locker rooms, prisons or other detention facilities, and domestic violence shelters. It also erases trans, nonbinary and intersex people by instructing sex designation as binary sex assigned at birth for all state data collection. Missouri - Gov. Mike Parson puts May 12th deadline on delivering bill banning trans medically necessary care, threatens to call special legislative session. The legislature is scheduled to adjourn on May 12th, but the House and Senate have passed different bill versions of two anti-trans bills – to ban medically necessary care and trans athletes; neither has reviewed the other chamber’s bill for consensus through the conference committee process. Anti-LGBTQ+ complaint form removed by AG Andrew Bailey from the state website pending an investigation into alleged misuse. AG Bailey removed an online form established in March to report any complaint or concern about gender transition interventions either experienced or observed anywhere in the state; his spokesperson alleged that “...activists'' attempted to “hack our system.” Man who shot gay teen sentenced to 21 years in prison. Malachi Robinson shot the teen after luring him into the woods near a local library in Kansas City. The teen survived, but still suffers “long-term effects” from the shooting. Montana - Openly trans Rep. Zooey Zephyr banned from House chamber and floor. On April 26th, Rep. Zephyr was banished from in-person presence in the House until the session ends on May 11th, punished for advocating with her peers to reject a bill to ban medically necessary care for trans youth, mentioning other anti-LGBTQ+ bills heard in this session. New York - NYC deflects critiques of investigation into gay nightclub murders. In a news conference on April 18th, Mayor Eric Adams was blunt, saying “with these cases, you have to get it right.” The final suspect in the robberies and murders of John Umberger and Julio Ramirez was arrested on April 17th, bringing the total charged to 6 individuals. North Dakota - Trans youth and adults lose seamless access to gender identity-matching facilities including bathrooms, locker rooms and showers in schools, college dorms or prisons. On April 25th, Gov. Doug Burgum signed into law the bill that passed with a veto-proof margin. Oregon - Senate introduces resolution to hold referendum on proposed constitutional amendments in 2024. If approved by the legislature, voters could enshrine same-sex marriage, gender-affirming care, and abortion rights into the state constitution. Pennsylvania - House Judiciary Committee endorses LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination legislation. HB 300 would protect Pennsylvanians from anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in the public sphere, including in housing and employment. PFLAG chapters are engaged in this work. Tennessee - Lawsuit launched against state ban on gender-affirming care for minors. Lambda Legal, the ACLU and its Tennessee affiliate, and the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld are suing the state over its new law banning best practice medical treatment for transgender youth. The organizations allege that if SB1 takes effect as planned on July 1st, it would “cause severe and irreparable harm” to trans people. Nashville suit-wearing senior banned from prom, local business builds them a special prom. Nashville Christian School said parents agree to a specified gender-stereotype-driven dress code when they enroll their children. B Hayes (they/them) stood outside the prom in their suit holding a sign explaining the ban. Local business owners with a live music venue offered to create a prom for B, and that idea spawned much local support and joy. |