Tracking record number of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in 2023

Republicans in conservative states are pushing against the rights of LGBTQ people — especially transgender youth — in ways this country has never experienced before.

Legislation seeking to restrict the rights of young LGBTQ people — such as banning gender-affirming treatment for youth or outlawing drag performances — has dramatically impacted the lives of LGBTQ youth and their families.

Following last year’s more than 220 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced across the country, a poll by The Trevor Project found 71% of LGBTQ youth — and 86% trans and nonbinary youth — said they were negatively impacted by the flurry of proposals to restrict their rights.

As of May 16, more than 520 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in statehouses across the country, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Over 220 of those specifically restrict the rights of transgender and nonbinary people.

Among the hundreds of bills introduced this year, a record number prevent youth from accessing gender-affirming care despite opposition from nearly all major medical associations in the U.S. In March, President Joe Biden referred to such bans as “hateful and extreme state laws” that are being advanced by “MAGA extremists.”

Several bills restricting trans and non-binary people from going to bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity or participating in school activities like sports have also been introduced across the country this year. Measures to restrict education about queer and trans issues have also inundated public schools and libraries.

Here’s a list of what has been proposed, enacted or vetoed in 2023 — as well as a few bright legislative spots for LGBTQ equality.

Last updated May 20.

Florida

• SB 266 eliminates diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from Florida’s higher-education system by preventing colleges and universities from spending state or federal money in subjects like critical race theory and gender studies. It was signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 15.
• SB 1580, which allows healthcare providers to refuse to provide healthcare services to Floridians based on their religious, moral or ethical beliefs, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 11. Dubbed by opponents as the “License to Discriminate in Healthcare” bill, the legislation “will disrupt the delivery of healthcare as we know it,” said Kara Gross, the legislative director and senior policy counsel of the ACLU of Florida.
• HB 1069 bans classroom instruction on LGBTQ topics in public schools from grades K-8, and allows teachers or school staff to misgender trans students. It was signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 17. “This legislation, while intentionally vaguely worded in some instances [seeks to] erase LGBTQ young people entirely from Florida’s classrooms,” said Gabby Doyle Advocacy, campaign manager at The Trevor Project. In April, the Florida Board of Education approved a rule banning the discussion of LGBTQ issues in classrooms for students through 12th grade. The move was slammed as a “bigoted” extension of the state’s so-called controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which was signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis last year and prohibits discussions about gender identity and sexual orientation among young children.
• SB 254, which penalizes providers who give gender-affirming care to trans youth and allows the state to take temporary “physical custody” of transgender youth receiving gender-affirming care, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 17.
• HB 1521 criminalizes trans people using restrooms that align with their gender identity, as well as changing facilities in schools, private businesses, public shelters, healthcare facilities and jails. It was signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 17. “This bill opens the door to abuse, mistreatment, and dehumanization,” said Jon Harris Maurer, public policy director at Equality Florida.
• HB 1423, which includes vague language that can be used to restrict drag shows and performances, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 17. The legislation threatens Pride events and small businesses with criminal penalties for allowing minors to watch certain drag performances even with a parent’s approval. On April 24, after the bill passed both legislative chambers hundreds of protesters gathered in Tallahassee for a march and rally on the steps of the Florida State Capitol.

Georgia

• SB 140, which bans most gender-affirming care for people under 18, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp on March 23. Kemp said he was signing the legislation “to ensure we protect the health and wellbeing of Georgia’s children” a week after a letter signed by more than 500 Georgia doctors said such legislation could lead to tragic consequences for trans youth in the state.

Idaho

• HB 71, which criminalizes gender-affirming care for youth, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Brad Little on April 4.

Indiana

• HB 1569 bars the state’s department of corrections from providing gender-affirming care for incarcerated trans people. It was signed into law by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb on April 20.
• SB 480, which prohibits families and doctors from providing gender-affirming care for youth, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb on April 5.
• HB 1608 requires teachers and school staff to notify parents or legal guardians when a transgender student has asked to be addressed by a different name or pronoun. It was signed into law by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb on May 4. The legislation also bans discussion of topics on “human sexuality” among K-3 students. The bill’s “extremely vague” language will “effectively ban discussion or acknowledgment of LGBTQ people in schools,” according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana.

Iowa

Kansas

• SB 180 would bar trans kids and adults from using restrooms and locker rooms in public facilities — such as schools, state prisons, and domestic violence shelters — and legally define male and female based on a person’s reproductive anatomy at birth. It was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on April 20, but overridden by a two-thirds majority in the House on April 27.

Kentucky

• SB 150 is a sweeping anti-trans measure that bans doctors from providing gender-affirming medical care to trans youth; bans trans students from using the bathrooms that match their gender identity; bans classroom discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation; allows schools to misgender students; and could force teachers to out trans and nonbinary students to their parents. Slammed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky as the “cruelest piece of anti-trans legislation in the nation,” SB 150 was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on May 24. The veto was overridden by Republican lawmakers five days later.

Mississippi

Montana

• SB 99, which bans gender-affirming care for minors, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte on April 24. The bill, slammed by critics as “draconian,” also restricts social transitioning — a process that typically involves a change in first names, pronouns, hairstyle and clothing to reflect a person’s gender identity. House Rep. Zooey Zephyr, who’s trans, was silenced by her Republican colleagues after saying those who vote in favor of the legislation would “have blood on [their] hands.”

North Dakota

• HB 1473, which bars trans kids and adults from using restrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Doug Burgum on April 26. The bill was one of 10 anti-LGBTQ bills advanced by lawmakers on April 4 — “the most anti-LGBTQ+ bills to pass a single legislative chamber in one day in modern history,” according to the Human Rights Campaign. Their only goal is to push LGBTQ people “back into the closet,” the group added.
• HB 1254, which makes it a crime to provide gender-affirming care for transgender youth, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Doug Burgum on April 21.
• HB 1249 bans K-12 transgender students from playing school sports consistent with their gender identity. It was signed into law by Republican Gov. Doug Burgum on April 11.
• HB 1489 bans transgender college students from playing school sports consistent with their gender identity. It was signed into law by Republican Gov. Doug Burgum on April 11.
• HB 1139, which creates an additional rule for gender markers on birth certificates that discriminates against transgender people, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Doug Burgum on April 11.
• HB 1522 bars government entities and public schools from adopting policies requiring teachers and school staff to use a trans or nonbinary student’s chosen pronouns. It was signed into law by Republican Gov. Doug Burgum on May 8. The legislation, which is effective immediately, also allows schools to ban trans students from using restroom facilities that align with their gender identity, and forces teachers and school staff to out transgender kids to their parents. “Mandatory outing of a student’s trans identity violates their privacy rights at school — particularly for trans youth who cannot be safe at home,” said Cody Schuler, advocacy manager for the ACLU of North Dakota. And forcing them into facilities that don’t match their gender identity makes them more susceptible to harassment and violence, Schuler added.

Oklahoma

• SB 613 makes providing gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth a felony, threatening medical providers who do so with up to a decade in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. It was signed into law by Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt on May 1. Treatments include the use of puberty-blocking hormones, which is “fully reversible,” and surgical procedures, which are “exceedingly rare and based on the specific medical needs of the teen.”

South Dakota

• HB 1080, which limits gender-affirming care for youth, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Kristi Noem on Feb. 3.

Tennessee

• SB 1, which prohibits gender-affirming care for minors, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Bill Lee on March 2. On April 26, the Biden administration filed a lawsuit seeking to block the ban, saying it “denies necessary medical care to youth based solely on who they are.”
• SB 3, commonly referred to as the “Tennessee drag ban” — the first restriction on drag performances in the nation — was signed into law by Republican Gov. Bill Lee on March 2 and was set to take effect on April 1. The law was challenged in court by a Memphis-based LGBTQ theater group, Friends of George’s. On March 31, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Parker issued a temporary restraining order, saying the state failed to make a compelling argument as to why the new law is needed in Tennessee. On April 6, the Trump-appointed judge extended the order through May 26.
• SB 1237, which allows private schools to ban transgender students from participating in the school’s athletic activities, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Bill Lee on April 28. The bill is the state’s fourth anti-trans sports law and its 15th anti-LGBTQ law since 2015, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
• SB 1440 creates a legal definition of the term “sex” that excludes LGBTQ people from state non-discrimination laws. It was signed into law by Republican Gov. Bill Lee on May 18. Dubbed the “LGBTQ+ Erasure Act” by critics, the bill could cost the state around $2 billion in federal funding.
• SB 466, which protects public school teachers and staff from intentionally misgendering or deadnaming trans students, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Bill Lee on May 18. The legislation also protects school districts from any lawsuits.
• SB 102 prohibits public schools, colleges and universities from requiring implicit bias training. It was signed into law by Republican Gov. Bill Lee on May 18.

Utah

• SB 16, which limits gender-affirming care for youth, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Spencer Cox on Jan. 30.

West Virginia

• HB 2007, which limits gender-affirming care for minors, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Jim Justice on March 29.
• HB 3042, which allows discrimination against others, including LGBTQ people, on the grounds of religious freedom, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Jim Justice on March 29.

Alabama

• HB 261 would ban transgender college and university students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity. It passed the House on April 18 and the Senate on May 3. If signed into law by Republican Gov. Kay Ivey, the bill would be the second anti-transgender sports ban and the fourth anti-LGBTQ law in two years, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

Arkansas

• HB 1468 prohibits school employees from addressing students by pronouns “inconsistent” with the student’s sex assigned at birth without parental consent. It passed the House on March 27 and the Senate on April 5.

Indiana

Iowa

• SB 496, which would ban classroom discussions about LGBTQ issues in grades K-6 and would require schools to forcibly out transgender students, passed the Senate on April 19 and the House on April 20.

Missouri

• SB 39, which would ban trans women and girls from competing in women’s sports in both public and private schools, including colleges, passed the Senate on March 23 and the House on May 10.
• SB 49 would ban doctors from prescribing or administering gender-affirming care, including hormone therapy or puberty-blocking medication, to transgender youth. It passed the Senate on March 23 and the House on May 10. Violation of the provisions can lead to the loss of a medical professional’s license. SB 49 “denies the humanity and identity of transgender children,” the Missouri House Democratic Caucus said in a statement, slamming it as “bigotry,” “discrimination” and “hate.”

North Dakota

• HB 1297, which would prohibit gender marker changes on birth certificates, passed the Senate on April 3 and the House on April 25.
• HB 1474 would adopt a discriminatory definition of the term “sex” and prohibit people from bringing claims of anti-LGBTQ discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations. The bill passed the House on April 25 and the Senate on April 27.

Iowa

• SF 146, which would restrict books and class discussion about gender identity and sexual orientation in grades K-6 passed the Senate on March 22.

Louisiana

• HB 81, which would allow teachers and school staff to misgender trans and nonbinary students when it’s “contrary to the employee’s religious or moral convictions” — even if parents have given written permission allowing their child to go by a different name or pronoun — passed the House on May 8. The policy will prevent schools from providing safe and inclusive classrooms, according to the Human Rights Campaign. “Honoring a student’s chosen name and pronouns is essential to affirming their identity and is one of the most important things that can be done to improve their health and well-being,” said Courtnay Avant, HRC legislative counsel.
• HB 466, which would ban teachers from discussing topics related to gender identity or sexual orientation in grades K-12 in public school classrooms, as well as “any extracurricular academic, athletic, or social activity, passed the House on May 9. The bill is a “mean-spirited attack on vulnerable young people that makes our schools less welcoming and inclusive and sets our state back,” the Louisiana Democratic Party said in a statement,” slamming HB 466 as “a cruel solution in search of a problem.”

Missouri

• HB 183, which would ban transgender students from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity — slammed by the Human Rights Campaign as “another shameful attack on trans youth” — passed the House on April 18.

Nebraska

• LB 574 bans gender-affirming treatment for trans people under the age of 19 and also makes it illegal for medical providers to perform an abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy. It was passed by the state’s unicameral legislature on May 19. The bill now heads to the desk of Republican Gov. Jim Pillen, who said he will sign it into law. Cathryn Oakley, state legislative director and senior counsel at the Human Rights Campaign said the legislation is being used by “politicians on a crusade to prove their extremism to the far fringes of their base” as a “cheap political ploy.”

North Carolina

• HB 574, which would prohibit transgender girls and women from participating in female sports teams in middle school, high school and college, passed the House on April 19. A companion Senate bill, SB 631, passed the upper chamber on April 21. A reconciled final version of one of the bills will soon go to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk.
• HB 808, which would limit teens from receiving gender-affirming care, passed the House on May 3. The bill would also prohibit state funding for gender-affirming “procedures” for minors, which would affect trans young people whose families are insured by Medicaid or through the state’s employee healthcare plan. The language of the bill doesn’t define the term “procedures.” Allison Scott, director of impact and innovation at the Campaign for Southern Equality vowed to fight the “cruel” and “unconstitutional” bill with “every tool and resources we have.”

Texas

• SB 1029, which would nearly end gender-affirming care of transgender people of all ages by making healthcare providers and insurers financially liable for patients’ lifetime medical, mental health and pharmaceutical costs that could result from complications of such care, passed the Senate on April 26.
• SB 14, which would ban gender-affirming care for youth, passed the House on May 15. The legislation is “vicious,” “cruel,” and “blatantly unconstitutional,” said Ash Hall, policy and advocacy strategist at the ACLU of Texas. “The bigotry and discrimination in this bill will not stand up in court and it will not stand the test of time.”

Kansas

• SB 26, which would ban trans youth from receiving gender-affirming care, was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on April 20. Republican lawmakers, who were able to successfully override Kelly’s veto on an anti-trans sports ban, failed to get enough votes to overturn the governor’s veto on the gender-affirming care ban. “These bills would hurt our ability to continue breaking economic records and landing new business deals,” Kelly wrote when announcing she would veto four anti-trans bills on April 20. “I’m focused on the economy. Anyone care to join me?”

North Dakota

• SB 2231, which would prohibit teachers and school staff from referring to students and colleagues by pronouns that don’t match the sex they were assigned at birth, was vetoed by Republican Gov. Doug Burgum on March 31. His veto was overridden by the Senate but later sustained in the House.

Florida

Missouri

• A rule that dramatically restricts gender-affirming care for both trans youth and adults in the state was issued by Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey on April 14. The first-of-its-kind “emergency rule” would require trans people in the state to exhibit three years of a “medically documented, long-lasting, persistent and intense pattern of gender dysphoria” and receive at least 15 hourly sessions with a therapist over 18 months before they could access such care. On May 1, St. Louis County Circuit Judge Ellen Ribaudo issued a temporary restraining order barring enforcement of the rule until at least May 15.

Colorado

• SB23-188, which protects people from states with restrictive laws on gender-affirming care and reproductive healthcare, was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Jared Pollis on April 14.

Minnesota

• HF 16, which bans LGBTQ “conversion therapy” was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz on April 27.

Pennsylvania

• HB 300, also known as the Fairness Act, would amend the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to add explicit protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. The bill advanced in the House on April 24.

Vermont

• Legislation that would legally protect doctors who provide gender-affirming care to trans people in the state, as well as patients who receive it, passed both the House and the Senate with veto-proof majorities on April 29. S. 37 and H. 89, commonly referred to as “shield bills,” would also protect patients receiving reproductive care. Republican Gov. Phil Scott is expected to sign both bills into law.