As state legislatures begin to convene for their first 2019 sessions, LGBT+ rights activists underscore the importance of paying attention to anti-LGBT+ legislation. While the new year has already seen conversion therapy banned in New York, there are several bills on the docket that would have adverse effects on the LGBT+ population.
In Georgia, declared winner of the highly contested gubernatorial race Brian Kemp has said that he would sign an anti-LGBT+ “religious liberty” bill into law with similar language to existing federal law. Kemp’s predecessor vetoed similar bills under pressure from Georgia’s growing film industry.
Texas faces a likely introduction of another “bathroom bill”, as well as religious refusal bills. Masen Davis, CEO of the advocacy group Freedom for All Americans, is cautiously optimistic.
“We were heartened to see that most of the prominent anti-LGBT lawmakers in Texas actually lost their seats in the 2018 midterms, so that gives us some hope,” Davis said. “But advocates are still bracing for another year of defense in the Lone Star State.”
Davis expects anti-LGBT+ bills related to preemption and religious refusals, particularly in the child welfare system.
Read more at The Daily Beast.