Latest news with #HouseBill1312
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Misgendering' now considered discrimination in this US state: Here's what the law says
Colorado Governor Jared Polis has signed House Bill 1312 into law, marking a significant shift in how the state handles discrimination against transgender individuals. While early drafts of the legislation stirred controversy, its final version still delivers key protections, including restrictions on 'misgendering' and 'deadnaming' in specific contexts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The bill, named the 'Kelly Loving Act' after a transgender woman killed in the 2022 Club Q shooting, expands Colorado's anti-discrimination laws. It no longer explicitly mentions the terms 'misgendering' or 'deadnaming', but it lays out provisions that indirectly address those actions by mandating inclusive practices across public records, education, and identification documents. Originally, HB 1312 included far-reaching clauses, including a requirement that courts consider 'deadnaming' and 'misgendering' in child custody disputes as forms of coercive control. Those sections were ultimately removed after significant public pushback and concerns raised by groups across the political spectrum. Over 700 people signed up to testify at a Senate hearing – the highest number for any bill this session. Polis, a Democrat and the nation's first openly gay governor, acknowledged the controversy. He said he was 'not comfortable' with the family law provisions in the initial draft, praising the final version for better reflecting public consensus. 'A lot of the controversial parts were removed during the legislative process,' he added. 'What's left are a few provisions that make it easier to reflect the gender identity of folks. ' Under the law, individuals can now update their marriage or civil union licences with a new name without the revised certificate being marked as amended. The same applies to sex designation changes on a Colorado driver's licence, which may now be made up to three times before a court order is required. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In educational settings, students are allowed to choose names for any reason if a school has a name policy in place. Dress code policies must now permit all students to choose among available options, regardless of gender identity. The bill also includes a clause that prevents Colorado courts from recognising laws from other states that would penalise parents for supporting a child's access to gender-affirming care. Despite the removal of some of its original provisions, HB 1312 still marks a landmark moment in LGBTQ+ rights in Colorado. Sponsored by Democrats in both chambers, the bill passed 36-20 in the House and 20-14 in the Senate.
Axios
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Colorado Democrats gut Uber and transgender bills ahead of adjournment
Colorado lawmakers blared " Final Countdown" from the state Senate's speakers and rushed three dozen bills to the finish line Wednesday before adjourning at 7:22pm. Why it matters: The last day of the legislative session is the most important — the make-or-break moment for hundreds of proposed new laws. State of play: The rush rescued legislation for K-12 school funding and free school meals, but required Democrats to make compromises on other flagship legislation. Case in point: The sponsors of a measure to address safety concerns on ride-sharing platforms, like Uber and Lyft, gutted their own legislation at the behest of the companies that called the new rules unworkable. The version approved along party lines in the final hours no longer requires in-ride audio and video recordings and removes most of the provisions holding the companies legally liable for bad actors. Bill sponsor Sen. Jessie Danielson (D-Wheat Ridge) acknowledged the "drastic changes and compromises" but asked her colleagues "to stand with the survivors … to help regulate these companies in the name of safety, real safety." The bill still would require ride-share companies to prohibit drivers from sharing food or drinks with passengers and force companies to conduct driver background checks every six months. The companies and Gov. Jared Polis are still expressing concerns about the language, making its future uncertain. Friction point: Two bills approved to protect transgender individuals also came down to the wire and survived hours of opposing debate from Republicans. A weakened House Bill 1312 would add gender identity to the current anti-discrimination law and prohibits deadnaming. Other provisions require schools with policies on names to consider transgender students and allow students to choose either option available in a school dress code. The second bill would put a current rule that insurance companies cover gender-affirming care into state law. The move is designed to protect against adverse federal action on the topic. The other side: Republicans argued the transgender bills involve "experimental medicine" and infringe on the role of parents. "We should be uniting families, not driving wedges between them," Sen. Scott Bright (R-Platteville) said during the debate.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Two bills on Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders desk would impact school funding, vouchers
Video – Working 4 You: How are some recipients of Arkansas Education Freedom Accounts spending the money of Natural State taxpayers LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Two bills on Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' desk will impact school funding and place limits on voucher spending if they are signed into law. House Bill 1312 would raise the per-student funding amount from $7,618 per student to $8,162 for the 2025-2026 school year, including $320 for employer contributions to insurance. In the 2026-2027 school year, the amount changes to $8,037 but does not include the insurance since that will now be paid directly to the Employee Benefits Division on behalf of public schools. More than 34K Arkansas students apply for next school year's vouchers The per-student fund is paid to schools by the state based on the previous school year's daily membership. Funding adequacy for public schools came from the Public School Funding Act of 2003, the response to the Arkansas Supreme Court's Lake View decision in 2002. HB1312 was passed by the legislature on Tuesday, the day before the legislature went into recess, and transmitted to the governor on Wednesday. Working 4 You: How are some recipients of Arkansas Education Freedom Accounts spending the money of Natural State taxpayers Senate Bill 625 limits the funds that a student's Children's Educational Freedom Account Program may spend. Limits include limiting 25% of spending on extracurricular activities and transportation and, in most cases, not allowing the money to be used to purchase a video game console or a cell phone. An Educational Freedom Account, part of the Arkansas LEARNS Act, pays 90% of the per-student funding amount to a student who is attending a private or home school. The program is open to all students for the 2025-2026 school year. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announces Education Freedom Accounts now available for every family in Arkansas SB625 was passed on the final work day of the 95th General Assembly. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
