In the last few years states have advanced a record number of bills that attack LGBTQ rights, especially transgender youth. The ACLU is tracking these attacks and working with our national network of affiliates to support LGBTQ people everywhere.
While more states every year work to pass laws to protect LGBTQ people, state legislatures are advancing bills that target transgender people, limit local protections, and allow the use of religion to discriminate. The ACLU will not stop speaking out against these cruel attacks nationwide. LGBTQ people have a right to live in safety, to thrive, and to be treated with dignity.
How the ACLU Tracks Anti-LGBTQ Legislation:
Our legal and advocacy team works with ACLU affiliates and local organizations across the country to monitor state legislatures for bills targeting the rights of LGBTQ people. Each bill is reviewed by legal staff at the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project before being categorized on this site. The process by which bills become law or not differ in each state depending on state law and constitutions.
Just like Congress at the federal level, every state has a legislative body responsible for passing
laws that impact their state residents. While some states have been at the forefront of advancing
LGBTQ equality, state-level attacks on LGBTQ people, particularly transgender people, have escalated
dramatically since 2015.
Click on a state in the map or table to show all the bills in that state.
The letters in front of the bill number refer to the legislative chamber the bill originated in:
H = House
S = Senate
HR = House Resolution
SR = Senate Resolution
AB = Assembly Bill
Click on a bill number to go to its state government website with the bill’s language and sponsors.
Barriers to Accurate IDs
Free Speech & Expression Bans
Drag Bans
Other Expression Restrictions
Healthcare Restrictions
Healthcare Age Restrictions
Healthcare Funding Restrictions
Prison Healthcare Restrictions
Other Healthcare Barriers
Public Accommodations Bans
Restricting Student & Educator Rights
Curriculum Censorship
Forced Outing in Schools
School Facilities Bans
School Sports Ban
Weakening Civil Rights Laws
Re-Definition of Sex
Religious Exemptions
Other Civil Rights Restrictions
Other Anti-LGBTQ Bills
A bill’s status shows how far along it is on the path to becoming a law:
Introduced:
The bill has been written, filed, and assigned a number.
Advancing:
The bill may be debated and may ultimately be voted on in state legislative chambers.
Passed Into Law:
If both the state House and Senate vote to pass the same language, the bill goes to the governor and
if the governor signs it, it becomes law. If a bill is vetoed by the governor, the legislature may
still vote to override that veto, in which case the bill would become law.
Defeated:
The bill is vetoed by the governor, didn’t get enough votes, or is withdrawn.
In Court
A lawsuit has been filed challenging the bill. Click “View case info” under the status text to learn more.
