Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in America face discrimination in their daily lives. By the close of 2016, 20 states plus DC banned discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in employment, housing, and public accommodations, and an additional three states provided incomplete statewide nondiscrimination protections. All people – including those who are gay or transgender – should be treated fairly and equally by the laws of their state, and should have the opportunity to earn a living, access housing, and participate fully in society.
In 2016, state legislatures across the country and Congress introduced some bills that would have protected LGBT people from discrimination, and others that would have rolled back existing protections or open the door to discrimination against gay and transgender people.
VIEW ANTI-LGBT RELIGIOUS Exemption BILLS FROM THE 2016 LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS VIEW LGBT NONDISCRIMINATION AND ANTI-LGBT BILLS PENDING FOR THE 2017 LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS
Click on the links below to learn more about the kinds of previously introduced bills and their implications.
Types of bills:
- Affirmative Nondiscrimination Bills
- Comprehensive Protection
- Incomplete Protection
- Harmful Anti-LGBT Bills
- Religious Exemptions Bills
- Bills Pre-empting Local Protections
- Anti-Transgender Bills
- Other Anti-LGBT Bills
Affirmative Nondiscrimination Bills
Comprehensive nondiscrimination bills prevent discrimination based on both sexual orientation and gender identity (or only gender identity if state law already covers sexual orientation), and do so in a range of contexts, including employment, housing, and public accommodations. Comprehensive bills do not have overly broad religious exemptions or other carve-outs.
State
Bill Number
Status
AK HB 19 6/19/2016: DeadAK HB 42 6/19/2016: DeadAK SB 20 6/19/2016: DeadAZ SB 1199 5/7/2016: DeadFL HB 45 3/11/2016: DeadFL SB 120 3/11/2016: DeadIN SB 2 3/14/2016: DeadIN SB 170 3/14/2016: DeadKS HB 2323 6/1/2016: DeadKY HB 155 4/15/2016: DeadKY SB 176 4/15/2016: DeadLA HB 501 6/23/2016: DeadLA SB 332 6/23/2016: DeadMA H 1577/H 4253 7/31/2016: DeadMA S 735/S 2407 7/8/2016: Became LawMI HB 4538 12/31/2016: DeadMI SB 315 12/31/2016: DeadMO HB 1924 5/13/2016: DeadMO HB 2279
5/13/2016: Dead
MO HB 2319 5/13/2016: DeadMO HB 2414 5/13/2016: DeadMO HB 2478 5/13/2016: DeadMO SB 653 5/13/2016: DeadMS HB 624/SB 2738 4/24/2016: DeadNE LB 586 4/20/2016: DeadNY AB 4558 6/17/2016: DeadNY SB 61 6/17/2016: DeadNC HB 1078 7/1/2016: DeadOH HB 389 12/31/2016: DeadOH SB 318 12/31/2016: DeadPA HB 1510 11/30/2016: DeadPA SB 974 11/30/2016: DeadTN HB 296/SB 371 4/22/2016: DeadUT SB 241 3/10/2016: DeadWV HB 4404 3/15/2016: DeadWV SB 111 3/15/2016: DeadWV SB 518 3/15/2016: Dead
Incomplete nondiscrimination bills include those that leave out gender identity protections, those that do not prevent discrimination in all key contexts, and those that contain broad religious exemptions language or carve-outs for sex-segregated facilities.
State
Bill Number
Status
AZ HB 2413 5/7/2016: DeadAZ HB 2414 5/7/2016: DeadAZ HB 2415 5/7/2016: DeadGA HB 323 3/24/2016: DeadIN SB 100 3/14/2016: DeadIN SB 344 3/14/2016: DeadLA HB 925 6/23/2016: DeadLA SB 436 6/23/2016: DeadNC HB 443/SB 612 7/1/2016: DeadNC HB 1118 7/1/2016: DeadOH HB 537 12/31/2016: DeadOK HB 1345 5/27/2016: DeadPA SB 1306 11/30/2016: DeadPA SB 1307 11/30/2016: DeadPA SB 1316 11/30/2016: DeadSC H 3949 6/15/2016: DeadSC H 3950 6/15/2016: DeadSC S 639 6/15/2016: DeadVA HB 179 3/11/2016: DeadVA HB 300 3/11/2016: DeadVA HB 429 3/11/2016: DeadVA HB 913 3/11/2016: DeadVA HB 1005 3/11/2016: DeadVA SB 12 3/11/2016: DeadVA SB 67 3/11/2016: DeadWV HB 4370 3/15/2016: DeadHarmful Anti-LGBT Bills
Several types of harmful bills were introduced in state legislatures in 2016 that either eroded existing protections for LGBT people or opened the door for greater discrimination.
There were a variety of types of bills that would have allowed religion to be used to discriminate against gay and transgender people in virtually all aspects of their lives. Click here for our page that tracked these bills across the country.
b. Bills Pre-Empting Local Protections
These bills prevent cities and other local government entities from passing nondiscrimination protections that are greater than the protections offered at the state level, including protections for LGBT people.
State
Bill Number
Status
IN SB 100 3/14/2016: DeadNC HB 2 3/23/2016: Became LawOK SB 1289 5/27/2016: DeadSC S 1203 6/15/2016: DeadVA HB 385 3/11/2016: DeadWV SJR 13 3/15/2016: Dead
We also increasingly saw bills that targeted transgender people for discrimination, such as barring access to or even criminalizing the use of appropriate facilities, including restrooms, or restricting transgender students’ ability to fully participate in school.
State
Bill Number
Status
IL HB 4474 5/31/2016:DeadIN HB 1031 3/14/2016: DeadIN HB 1079 3/14/2016: DeadIN SB 35 3/14/2016: DeadKY HB 364 4/15/2016: DeadLA HB 542 3/4/2016: Withdrawn Prior to IntroductionMI HB 5717 12/31/2016: DeadMI SB 993 12/31/2016: DeadMN HF 3395 5/23/2016: DeadMN HF 3396 5/23/2016: DeadMN SF 3002 5/23/2016: DeadMO HB 1624 5/13/2016: DeadMO SB 720 5/13/2016: DeadMS HB 1258 4/24/2016: DeadMS HB 1523 4/5/2016: Became LawNY AB 10127 6/17/2016: DeadOK HB 2215 5/27/2016: DeadOK HB 3049 5/27/2016: DeadOK SB 1014 5/27/2016: DeadOK SB 1619 5/27/2016: DeadSC S 1203 6/15/2016: DeadSC S 1306 6/15/2016: DeadSD HB 1008 3/1/2016: Vetoed by GovernorSD HB 1112 3/29/2016: DeadTN HB 2414/SB 2387 4/22/2016: DeadTN HB 2600/SB 2275 4/22/2016: DeadVA HB 431 3/11/2016: DeadVA HB 663 3/11/2016: DeadVA HB 773 3/11/2016: DeadVA HB 781 3/11/2016: DeadWA HB 2589 3/29/2016: DeadWA HB 2782 3/29/2016: DeadWA HB 2941 3/29/2016: DeadWA SB 6443 3/10/2016: DeadWA SB 6548 3/29/2016: DeadWI AB 469 6/1/2016: Dead
State Bill Number StatusHI HB 1337/SB 940 5/5/2016: DeadOK HB 1597 5/27/2016: DeadOK SB 724 5/27/2016: DeadTN HB 1412/SB 1437 4/22/2016: DeadVA HB 77 3/11/2016: DeadVA HB 397 3/11/2016: Dead