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Legislation Affecting LGBTQ Rights Across the Country 2021

Document Date: February 24, 2020

Last updated 12/17/2021

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in America continue to face discrimination in their daily lives. While more states every year work to pass laws to protect LGBTQ people, we continue to see state legislatures advancing bills that target transgender people, limit local protections, and allow the use of religion to discriminate.

*Note: Bills are reported as Active below if they were introduced in their states’ 2020 legislative sessions and have carried over to 2021. The status date indicates the convening of the state’s 2021 session or the most current activity on a particular bill.

Download .csv of 2021 Session bills

View 2024 Session bills

View 2023 Session bills

View 2022 Session bills

View 2020 Session bills

View 2019 Session bills.

View 2018 Session bills.

Anti-LGBTQ Bills:Anti-Trans Bills

These measures target transgender and nonbinary people for discrimination, such as by barring or criminalizing healthcare for transgender youth, barring access to the use of appropriate facilities like restrooms, restricting transgender students’ ability to fully participate in school and sports, allowing religiously-motivated discrimination against trans people, or making it more difficult for trans people to get identification documents with their name and gender.

a. Prohibiting healthcare for transgender youth

State

Bill Number

Status

AL

SB 10

HB 1
SB 5

Died

Indefinitely postponed 5/6/21
Prefiled for 2022; will be read for first time 1/11/22

AR

SB 347

HB 1570

Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment 10/15/21

Signed into law 4/13/21

AZSB 1511Assigned to committee and read the second time 2/2/21

FL

HB 935

HB 211

Died in subcommittee 4/30/21

Prefiled for 2022; referred to committee 10/6/21

GAHB 401Read for the second time 2/16/21IAHF 193Introduced and referred to committee 1/22/21

IN

SB 224

Died in committee 2/23/21KSHB 2210Introduced and referred to committee 2/3/21

KY

HB 336

HB 477

Died 4/2/21

Died 4/2/21

LA

HB 575

SB 104

Referred to committee 4/12/21

Read for the second time and referred to commitee 4/12/21

MO

HB 33

Motion to pass failed 5/12/21

MS

SB 2171

Died in committee 2/2/21

MT

HB 113

Died in process 4/29/21NCSB 514Read for the first time and referred to committee 4/6/21OHHB 454Introduced 10/19/21OK

SB 583

SB 676

Read for the second time and referred to committee 2/2/21

Read for the second time and referred to committee 2/2/21

SC

HB 3477

HB 4047

Read for the first time and referred to committee 1/12/21

Referred to committee 3/9/21

TN

SB 657

HB 578

Referred to committee 2/11/21

Deferred to 2022

TX

HB 68

HB1339

SB 16446

Read for the first time and referred to committee 2/25/21

Placed on general state calendar 5/12/21

Read for the third time and passed in Senate 4/28/21;
Referred to committee in House 5/3/21

UT

HB 92

Died 3/5/21

WV

HB 2171Referred to committee 2/10/21

b. Single-Sex Facility Restrictions

State

Bill Number

Status

AR

HB 1882

HB 1905

Died 10/15/21

Readfor the second time and referred to committee 4/12/21

TN

HB 1223

SB 1367

HB 1182

SB 1224

Signed by Governor 5/14/21

Substituted for companion House bill 4/21/21

Signed by Governor 5/17/21

Companion House bill substitute 4/29/21

c. Excluding transgender youth from athletics

State

Bill Number

Status

AL

HB 391Signed by Governor AR

SJR 16

SB 354

SB 450

Died 10/15/21

Signed by Governor 3/29/21

Signed by Governor 4/29/21

AZ

SB 1637

Read for the first time 6/30/21

CT

SB 324

HB 6128

Referred to committee 1/25/21

Referred to committee 1/29/21

FL

HB 935

HB 1475

SB 2012

S 1028

Died in subcommittee 4/30/21

Died in committee 4/30/21

Died in committee 4/30/21

Approved by Governor 6/1/22

GA

HB 276

HB 372

SB 266

Read for the second time 2/8/21

Read for the second time 2/11/21

Read for the second time 3/5/21

HIHB 1304Referred to committee 2/1/21 IAHF 184Introduced and referred to committee 1/22/21

KS

SB 208Postponed until 2022

KY

SB 106

HB 471

Died 4/2/21

Died 4/2/21

LA

HB 542

SB 156

Referred to commitee 4/12/21

Senate voted to override the Governor’s veto 7/20/21; House failed to override the Governor’s veto 7/21/21

MEHP 682Died 7/19/21

MI

SB 218Referred to committee 3/10/21

MN

HF 350

HF 352

HF 1657

Referred to committee 1/28/21

Referred to committee 1/28/21

Referred to committee 2/25/21

MO

HB 1077

HJR 56

SB 503

SB 9

SB 740

Referred to committee 2/18/21

Referred to committee 2/18/21

Read for the second time and referred to committee 3/4/21

Read for the second time and referred to committee 6/26/21

Prefiled 12/1/21

MSSB 2536Approved by Governor 3/11/21

MT

HB 112

Signed by Governor 5/7/21

ND

HB 1298

Filed with Secretary of State 4/27/21

NH

HB 198

Executive Session 10/14/21

NJ

S 3540Introduced and referred to committee 3/11/21

NM

HB 304Referred to committee 2/18/21

OH

HB 61

SB 132

SB 187

Referred to committee 2/4/21

Referred to committee 3/17/21

Passed with amendments 6/24/21

OK

SB 331

SB 2

Read for the second time and referred to committee 2/2/21

Passed in Senate 3/1/21;
Passed in House 4/20/21

PAHB 972Referred to committee 4/5/21

SC

SB 531

HB 4608

Referred to committee 2/9/21

Prefiled and referred to committee 11/17/21

SD

HB 1217Veto override failed 3/29/21

TN

HB 3

SB 228

Signed by Governor 3/26/21

Signed by Governor 3/26/21

TX

SB 29

SB 373

HB 1458

HB 3455

HB 4042

HB 4043

HB 90

HB 10

HB 25

Passed in Senate 4/15/21;
Read for the second time in House 5/25/21

Read for the first time and referred to committee 3/9/21

Read for the first time and referred to committee 3/5/21

Read for the first time and referred to committee 3/22/21

Left pending in committee 4/20/21

Read for the first time and referred to committee 3/29/21

Filed 1st Special Session; died 8/6/21

Filed 3rd Special Session; referred to comittee 9/27/21

Signed by Governor 10/25/21

UT

HB 302

HB 11

Died 3/5/21

Prefiled 12/13/21

WI

AB 195

AB 196

SB 322

SB 323

Read for the third time and passed in Assembly 6/16/21;
Read for the first time and referred to committee in Senate 6/21/21

Read for the third time and passed in Assembly 6/16/21;
Read for the first time and referred to committee in Senate 6/21/21

Public hearing held 5/26/21

Public hearing held 5/26/21

WV

HB 2141

HB 2676

HB 2734

HB 3293

SB 341

Referred to committee 2/10/21

Referred to committee 2/23/21

Referred to committee 2/24/21

Signed by Governor 4/28/21

Referred to committee 2/18/21

d. Restrictions on Identification Documents

State

Bill Number

Status

MT

LC 2997 /SB 280

Signed by Governor 4/30/21

SD

HB 1076

Died in committee 2/5/21 e. Other school or curriculum restrictions

State

Bill Number

Status

AZ

HB 2011

Prefiled 12/7/21MO

HB 1755

HB 645

Prefiled 12/1/21

Prefiled 12/1/21

OK SB 1142Active 2/7/22SC SB 900Prefiled and referred to committee 12/6/21f. Other Anti-Trans bills

State

Bill Number

Status

AR

HB 1749Died 10/15/21AZHB 2710Read for the second time 2/3/21IA

SF 167

HF 272

HF 326

Subcommittee recommends passage 2/16/21

Introduced and referred to committee 1/27/21

Introduced and referred to committee 2/2/21

KY

HB 336Died 4/2/21

ND

HB 1476

Withdrawn from further consideration 1/21/21

SC

HB 4605

Prefiled and referred to committee 11/17/21

Religious Exemption Billsa. Religious Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRAs)

State

Bill Number

Status

AR

HJR 1024

SJR 14

Died 10/15/21

Reviewed by Governor 4/30/21

IA

HF 170

SF 436

Introduced 1/22/21

Subcommittee recommends passage 3/2/21

IN

HB 1503

Died in committee 2/23/21

MT

SB 215Signed by Governor 4/22/21

NH

HB 440

Passed with amendment in House 4/9/21;
Referred to committee in Senate 5/25/21

SD

SB 124Signed by the Governor 3/10/21WVHB 2545Referred to committee 2/16/21WYHB 264Did not consider for introduction 3/8/21

b. Religious Exemptions in Healthcare Implicating LGBTQ People

State

Bill Number

Status

AR

SB 289

Signed by Governor 3/29/21

KY

SB 83

Died 4/2/21MTSB 245Died in process 4/29/21NCSB 515Referred to committee 4/6/21

NM

SB 323Introduced and referred to committee 2/1/21

SC

HB 3518

Introduced, read for the first time, and referred to committee 1/12/21

SD

HB 1247Committee vote failed 2/24/21

TX

HB 1424

SB 1674

SB17

Placed on general sate calendar 5/13/21

Read for the first time and referred to committee 3/24/21

Introduced 1st Special Session 7/7/21

c. Religious Exemptions in Adoption & Foster Care

State

Bill Number

Status

IA

HF 170

Introduced 1/22/21

KY

HB 524Died 4/2/21SCH 3878Introduced, read for the first time, and referred to committee 2/11/21WVSB 13Introduced and referred to committee 2/10/21

d. Religious Exemptions in Schools and Student Organizations

State

Bill Number

Status

MO

SB 332

Read for the second time and referred to committee 2/4/21

e. Other Religious Exemption Bills

State

Bill Number

Status

IAHF 170Introduced and referred to committee 1/22/21

MA

HD 3468Referred to committee in House 3/29/21;
Concurred in Senate 3/29/21

ND

HB 1476

Withdrawn from further consideration 1/21/21

Bills Pre-Empting Local Protections

These bills prevent cities and other local government entities from passing nondiscrimination protections that are more expansive than the protections offered at the state level, including protections for LGBTQ people.

Other Anti-LGBTQ Bills

State

Bill Number

Status

AR

SB 389 Delivered to Governor 4/1/21

IN

SB 288

Read for the second time 2/22/21

IN

SB 289

Read for the first time and referred to committee 1/11/21

MO

HB 786

HB 1693

Referred to committee 3/4/21

Prefiled 12/1/21

OK

SB 615

HB 1004

Read for the second time and referred to committee 2/2/21

Second reading referred to commitee 2/13/21

TN

SB 1208

SB 1229

HB 529

Passed on second consideration and referred to committee 2/22/21

Signed by Governor 5/3/21

Comparable Senate bill substituted 4/14/21

WI

AB 14

SB 31

Referred to committee 3/16/21

Read the second time and referred to committee 3/16/21

LGBTQ Equality Bills

a. Nondiscrimination protections

State

Bill Number

Status

AK

HB 17

Referred to committee 5/5/21IDSB 1030Referred to committee 1/25/21

KY

HB 130

HB 116

Died 4/2/21

Died 4/2/21

MO

HB 1760

HB 1737

Prefiled 12/1/21

Prefiled 12/21/21

MS

SB 2089

HB 806

HB 807

Died in committee 2/2/21

Died in committee 2/2/21

Died in committee 2/2/21

NE

LB 120

Hearing scheduled 2/26/21

SC

HB 3183

Referred to committee 1/12/21

TX

SB 233

HB 188

HB 191

Read for the first time and referred to committee 3/3/21

Read for the first time and referred to committee 2/25/21

Placed on general state calendar 5/13/21

b. Protections in healthcare

State

Bill Number

Status

HI

SB 752

Referred to committee 1/27/21

WA

SB 5313

Signed by Governor 5/12/21

c. Allowing updated gender markers on ID

State

Bill Number

Status

AZ

SB 1163

Read for the second time 1/19/21

CA

AB 218

AB 439

Enrolled and presented to the Governor 9/17/21

Approved by the Governor 7/9/21

IL

HB 9

Read for the third time and passed in the House 4/20/21;
Referred to committee in Senate 7/16/21MAHD 153Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to another committee in House 7/28/21; Concurred in Senate 3/29/21MIHB 5349Introduced and referred to committee on 9/29/21

NH

HB 295

Heard on the floor 4/7/21

NY

S 4402Signed by Governor 6/25/21OKHB 2108Referred for second reading 2/2/21

TX

SB 210

HB 338

Read for the first time and referred to committee 3/3/21

Read for the first time and referred to committee 2/25/21

d. Sex work decriminalization bills

State

Bill Number

Status

CASB 357Read for the third time and amended 9/12/21CTHB 5934Referred to committee 1/28/21

NY

A 849

S 3075

S 2878

Referred to committee 1/6/21

Referred to committee 1/27/21

Referred to committee 1/26/21

e. Other good bills

State

Bill Number

Status

AZHB 2652Read for the first time 5/24/21CA

AB 1041

AB 1094

SB 225

SB 379

Ordered to inactive file 9/9/21

Approved by the Governor on 9/16/21

Hearing canceled 4/5/21

Hearing 5/20/21

HISB 618Passed second reading as amended and referred to committee 2/19/21NELB 231Active 1/5/22

NY

A 7701A/S 677

Amended and recommitted to Correction 5/13/21

Related Issues

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