Self-care note: While some of the following stories celebrate and affirm LGBTQ+ people, many cover legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans and nonbinary youth. Please be kind to yourself and use your discretion while reading this section. Advisory: State news is representative but not exhaustive due to space constraints; feel free to forward news about your state to [email protected] to consider for inclusion. California - Measure to limit rights of trans youth fails to qualify for November ballot. A proposed ballot initiative that would have required schools to adopt forced outing policies and anti-trans athlete bans, as well as banning medically necessary care for trans and non-binary youth, failed to get enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot. Equality California released a statement on the failed ballot measure with other coalition partners. Illinois - Legislature passes bill allowing trans people to correct gender markers on out-of-state documents. House Bill 5507, which passed 73-38 in the state House and 10-4 in the Senate, allows trans and non-binary Illinoisans to obtain a court order to correct gender markers and names on birth certificates, state IDs, and driver’s licenses issued out of state or even out of the country. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is likely to sign the bill. Maryland - Salisbury rejects raising flag for Pride month. A Pride flag has flown at the Wicomico County courthouse every year since 2019 (except in 2020, due to COVID), but Salisbury Mayor Randy Taylor denied a permit to raise the flag this year. PFLAG Salisbury organized an alternative Pride flag ceremony in downtown Salisbury. Minnesota - Gov. Walz signs gay and trans panic defense ban. HF5216 narrowly passed the Senate on a party-line 34-33 vote. It prohibits individuals who commit acts of violence against gay or trans people from using their “surprise” at the victim’s identity as a justifiable reason for their actions. Minnesota is the 19th state to bar such defenses. Ohio - State Supreme Court rejects attempt to limit temporary restraining order barring enforcement of gender-affirming care ban. Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook issued the temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of HB 68 on April 16. Attorney General Dave Yost filed an emergency motion with the Ohio Supreme Court to try to stop the restraining order, arguing Holbrook “acted beyond the scope of his powers.” The Supreme Court rejected this motion, allowing the restraining order to stay in place and for the trial to proceed in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas on July 15. Oklahoma - Legislature passes sex re-definition bill. HB 1449, which narrowly defines “sex” as sex assigned at birth, passed the House by a vote of 79-17. The bill would exclude trans women from many sex-segregated spaces, including domestic violence shelters and locker rooms. It now heads to Governor Stitt for his signature. Pennsylvania - Maulik Pancholy visits Cumberland County school. Pancholy, an openly gay actor and author, gave an anti-bullying talk on May 22 at Mountain View Middle School in the Cumberland Valley School District. The school board had voted on April 15 to cancel the event, but after an outcry from the community, the board voted the following week to reverse its decision and allow the talk to proceed. Bucks County senior living community start resident support group for LGBTQIA+ people and their family members. Mary Lee and Sandy Heller started the group after realizing many in their community had LGBTQ+ grandchildren. Mary and Sandy have held events and invited speakers for people to learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community and what it means to be an ally, and have also used PFLAG National’s publications to help educate their fellow community members. South Carolina - Gov. McMaster holds signing ceremony for gender-affirming care ban. PFLAG Spartanburg, which advocated strongly against the ban, released a statement saying they would continue to “advocate for policies that ensure all South Carolinians can access the healthcare they need and live with the dignity they deserve.” | 
