California - SB859 calls for comprehensive statewide plans to end HIV and other STIs. State Senator Wiener introduced legislation that will require the Office of AIDS and California Human and Health Services to collaborate with state agencies and an advisory committee in order to generate realistic goals to address rising STI rates. Florida - Lawmakers sneak four anti-LGBTQ+ bills into legislative session. Four bills introduced just before the filing deadline included legalization of conversion therapy, walkbacks of protections for LGBTQ+ workers, and bans on gender-affirming healthcare. Kentucky - Bipartisan support for bill banning conversion therapy. A bill banning conversion therapy has been introduced in the Kentucky House of Representatives. If passed, the law would ban behavioral-health professionals from engaging in so-called conversion therapy with minors and some adults. PFLAGers in Kentucky have been advocating in support of the ban. Missouri - Proposal to ban transgender high school athletes in certain activities. Some Missouri State Senators are advocating for a resolution banning student-athletes from competing as the gender they identify with and allowing them to only participate as the sex assigned on their birth certificate. If passed, the resolution would also need to be approved by voters. PFLAGers across the state are engaging in advocacy on this issue. New Jersey - Governor Phil Murphy signs bill prohibiting ‘gay or transgender panic defense’. To help protect the LGBTQ+ community, Gov. Murphy has signed into law a bill prohibiting the use of ‘gay or transgender panic’ defenses for charges of criminal homicide. Previously, the use of such defenses reduced charges from murder to manslaughter. The law will now prohibit the use of a victim’s actual or perceived gender identity and sexual orientation as a heat of passion defense to murder. South Dakota - Bill proposes to make transgender-affirming healthcare for minors a felony. If House Bill 1057 is passed, doctors, nurses, and medical assistants would face felony charges and up to ten years in prison for treating minors with puberty blockers or hormones, or providing gender-affirming surgeries. PFLAGers in South Dakota have been deeply engaged on the ground in preventing this bill from becoming law. Tennessee - Governor Lee to sign anti-LGBTQ+ adoption bill. Lee’s signature will assure continued taxpayer funding of faith-based foster care and adoption agencies even if the agencies exclude LGBTQ+ families and others based on religious beliefs. This bill attacks LGBTQ+ rights and limits the number of qualified families seeking to foster or adopt children. Utah - State government bans use of conversion therapy for minors. This bill bans licensed therapists, but not clergy or religious counselors, from performing so-called “conversion therapy” on minors. Those who break the rule could have their license revoked or suspended. Utah is now the 19th state to curtail the discredited and damaging practice. We applaud the efforts of our many colleague organizations, as well as PFLAGers in Utah, for their work on getting this legislation passed. Virginia - Bill introduced in state legislature to ban anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination. The bill seeks to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the state’s nondiscrimination law, and prohibit anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and credit. | 
