Jun 7, 2023 - Politics

Louisiana's "Don't Say Gay" bill and other anti-LGBTQ+ legislation nearing approval

Carlie Kollath Wells

Illustration of the stripes of the Pride flag falling onto the ground. — Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios

Three bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community are heading to Gov. John Bel Edwards' desk after amended versions passed in Senate and House this week.

"Don't Say Gay": The so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill (House Bill 466) prohibits discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in K-12 public schools.
Health care: House Bill 648 bans gender-affirming health care, such as hormone treatments or puberty-blocking drugs, to anyone younger than 18.
Pronouns: House Bill 81, called the "Given Name Act" by its author, restricts students' preferred names and pronouns.

Of note: A bill (Senate Bill 7) that limits what minors can check out at public libraries, primarily LGBTQ+ materials and other books deemed “sexually explicit,” is still in play.

It passed in the Senate and an amended version passed in the House. However, the Senate rejected the amended version Tuesday and sent the bill to a conference committee to resolve the differences.

What's next: Edwards, a Democrat, has not said if he will sign or veto the bills, according to the Louisiana Illuminator.

If he vetos, lawmakers can try to override him.

To do that, AP says, they'll need a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate. Republicans hold a two-thirds majority in both.
The regular legislative session ends Thursday.

The big picture: New Orleans has one of the largest concentrations of LGBTQ+ people in the U.S., with 4.7% of the adult population identifying as members of the community.

A 2021 analysis from UCLA's Williams Institute estimates there are about 46,000 LGBTQ+ community members here.

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Louisiana's "Don't Say Gay" bill and other anti-LGBTQ+ legislation nearing approval

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