Alabama - Alabama House approves bill to restrict transgender high school athletes. The bill prohibits high school athletes from competing on sports teams that conflict with the gender-assigned at birth, due to perceived inequality among cisgender and transgender athletes. PFLAG chapters have been actively opposing this bill. Senate passes bill to block medical treatment for transgender minors. On March 5th, the Senate passed a bill, titled the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act, that would make it a crime for medical providers to prescribe hormone replacement therapy or puberty-delaying medications for people under age 19 who identify as transgender. The bill passed the Senate and House Health Committees last week. PFLAG chapters have been actively opposing this bill. Georgia - 13-year old transgender girl removed from school dance. The student was banned from Rick Creek School’s Valentine’s dance for wearing a “costume,” according to school officials; the girl was wearing black slacks and a black top, with a rose in her hair and makeup. The school is in Savannah-Chatham County in southeast Georgia. Idaho - Bill banning gender-marker changes on birth certificates advances. A bill that would prevent transgender people from changing the gender marker listed on their birth certificates has passed the Idaho House, and will move to the Senate. It passed the House 53-16, despite the fact that an Idaho law doing the same was struck down by a federal judge in 2018 for violating the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Kentucky - Governor proudly takes photo with local Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at Fairness event. Governor Andy Beshear snapped a picture with local members of the LGBTQ+ fund-raising and service organization Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, in support of LGBTQ+ rights and nondiscrimination laws in Kentucky. While drawing criticism from a conservative legislator, Gov. Beshear’s support was lauded by advocates. Maine - Maine to consider nonbinary option for birth certificates. If the proposed rule is approved by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, parents would be allowed to select nonbinary (X) on their children’s birth certificates and adults would more easily be able to change the gender identity listed on their own birth certificates. Maryland - Name change bill passes in Maryland House of Delegates. The bill, which would waive the requirement for people seeking to change their name to publish the change in a local newspaper, was passed unanimously by the Maryland House. The bill is now in committee in the Maryland Senate. PFLAG Metro DC is actively working in support of this bill. Senator supports bill to repeal sodomy law. Senator William Smith, Jr. has hopes that a bill to repeal Maryland’s law criminalizing sodomy will pass in committee and move to the full Senate. He is the committee chair and says he has enough votes to move the bill forward. Michigan - Student banned from writing about marriage equality. A Michigan high schooler chose to speak about same-sex marriage for a project asking students to “take a stand” and had her proposal rejected, as the teacher allegedly “didn’t want to read a paper about gay marriage.” New Hampshire - House panel recommends rejecting bill banning transgender students from female sports teams. The bill sought to prevent students born as male from competing on girls’ or women’s sports teams. The House panel voted 13-6 to recommend killing the bill. The full New Hampshire legislature will take it up this month. New York - LGBTQ+ group banned from Saint Patrick’s Day march, officials strike. Staten Island’s Ancient Order of Hibernians has banned the Pride Center of Staten Island from marching in a Saint Patrick’s Day parade, and elected officials from the Borough President and a Congressman to City Council members have dropped out of the parade in solidarity. Texas - Transgender student assaulted. An anonymous student at Alpine High School has come forward following an assault by a classmate off campus. Superintendent Becky McCutchen says that the district cannot take disciplinary action, even as harassment allegedly continues on campus during school hours. The student’s family is suing. Alpine is known as the heart of the Big Bend (National Park) area. Virginia - House of Delegates passes gender-neutral driver’s license bill. The bill would require that ‘nonbinary’ be listed as a sex option on driver’s license applications. The bill previously passed the Virginia Senate on Feb. 5. Governor Northam signs two bills, one banning conversion therapy for minors and another, the VA Transgender Students Protections bill (HB 145). Virginia became the first southern state to prohibit so-called conversion therapy for minors after Governor Ralph Northam signing of the ban on March 3rd. He also signed the bill requiring the Department of Education to create and make available model policies concerning the treatment of transgender students in public elementary and secondary schools no later than December 31st. PFLAG Metro DC worked heavily to support and move these bills through both chambers and engaged community support. Washington - Ban passed to prohibit gay and trans panic defenses for homicide. This measure prohibits homicide defendants from defenses based on panic over a victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill will now go to Gov. Jay Inslee to be signed. | 
