A New Legislative Season

A new year bring new draconian bills from the Republicans, a number of states have introduced bills against us.

Spate of bills targeting transgender athletes shows social conservatives believe they've found a salient wedge issue
Metro Weekly
By John Riley
December 23, 2019

Republican lawmakers in three different states are pushing legislation to restrict transgender athletes.

The bills would all bar transgender athletes from competing in sports designated for the gender with which they identify, and have been introduced or proposed ahead of the 2020 legislative session.

Earlier this month, in Tennessee, State Rep. Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) introduced a bill requiring schools that receive public funding to ensure that students may only participate in sports based on the student’s biological sex as listed on the athlete’s “original” birth certificate.
[…]
In Georgia, State Rep. Philip Singleton (R-Sharpsburg) has filed a bill similar to the Tennessee measure, proposing a blanket-ban on transgender participation in sports that do not match their assigned sex at birth, arguing that the bill will ensure no student has an “unfair advantage.”
[…]
In Washington State, a bill recently introduced by State Rep. Brad Klippert (R-Kennewick) takes a more tailored approach, prohibiting only transgender female athletes from competing “with and against female students in athletic activities.”

And I would not be surprised to see a similar bill introduced by Republicans here in Connecticut.

Then in Kentucky a Republican introduced this bill,

Kentucky bill would let students sue over transgender bathroom use
Similar legislation has failed twice before. Supporters say privacy is at issue, but critics say that's “not based in reality."
NBC News
By Gwen Aviles
December 13, 2019

A bill has resurfaced in Kentucky seeking to allow students to sue their school if it allows transgender peers to use school bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity, instead of their sex assigned at birth, despite the bill’s previous failures in the state Legislature.

Republican state Rep. David Hale revived the Kentucky Student Privacy Act last Thursday. The bill would require that K-12 public school facilities, like restrooms and locker rooms, separate students “based on their biological sex.”

There has been so good legislation introduced…

Jude's Law takes effect, helping transgender, non-binary Coloradans amend birth certificates
Colorado Politics
By Joey Bunch
January 1, 2020

Starting Wednesday with the new year, Coloradans will have an easier time amending their birth certificate to reflect their identity, noted One Colorado, the state's largest advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer residents and their families.

The legislature passed House Bill 1039, named Jude's Law, last session after trying unsuccessfully in three previous years. The bill is named for a transgender student who started testifying at the Capitol when she was 9 years old. Jude's last name has not been publicized, because advocates cited safety at school for the child and privacy reasons for the family.

In Ohio…

Transgender woman says hate crime laws in Ohio need to change
ABC 6
By Lu Ann Stoia
January 8th 2020

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) — A transgender woman said she was beaten and choked by her mother and her mother’s boyfriend. But it was what they said that has Paris Cyrus pushing for it to be labeled a hate crime.

“I was trying to stop from being strangled. I was being strangled and kicked in the face at the same time. They were saying you are not a woman. You’re not a woman. You are a guy with mascara on. They say the faggot word, F word a lot,” Cyrus said.
[…]
BRAVO, Buckeye Region Anti Violence Organization is working to eliminate violence perpetrated on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identification.

Director Aaron Eckhardt said “this certainly sounds like hate and bias violence. But hate crimes do not include sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. So in Ohio, people with those identities don’t have access to the hate crimes law.”

Then in Virginia

Bill seeks a state model policy for transgender Virginia students
Virginia Mercury
By Jahd Khalil
January 9, 2020

A bill before the General Assembly this year would require the state Department of Education to develop model policies for issues affecting transgender students.

The proposed legislation comes as disparate school policies across the state have contributed to lawsuits brought against school systems and as transgender Virginians gain visibility in schools.

The bill, proposed by Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, and Delegate-elect Joshua Cole, D-Stafford, would require the model policies to cover non-discrimination laws, bullying and harassment, protecting students’ privacy, sex-based dress codes and identifying students. The policies would have to be developed by the end of 2020.

What to expect here in Connecticut…

As I mentioned I expect the Republicans to introduce a bill forcing trans students to play on teams of their birth gender.

The other legislation I expect to be introduced is a bill to add gender neutral or non-binary to state forms… this I expect to pass if it gets voted on in the legislature.

I also expect some version of the intersex bill introduced last year to be reintroduced this year.

I say that because the Connecticut legislature is in short session this year, Connecticut adds a month to the legislative season on odd years so the bill might not get voted on this year. So the budget might take up the session this year especially because of tolls, there will probably be a lot of debate over tolls and the budget.

So what bills would you like to see introduced here in Connecticut?