LGBTQ Equality Maps Updates and Bill Tracking for May 2024

In this rapidly changing landscape, MAP's LGBTQ Equality Maps provide a detailed snapshot of the current state of LGBTQ laws and policies in the United States. See below for state level and local level policy updates as of May 8, 2024.

Read the full version of MAP's May 2024 updates

State Policy Updates

This section's state-level policy changes are outlined below in the following categories: positive policy updates, negative policy updates, and developingnews. Click below or keep scrolling to learn more about each policy area.

Positive Policy Updates

• Blocks and vetoes of transgender youth sports bans
• Veto of gender regulation bill that allows discrimination against transgender and nonbinary people
• Vetoes and blocks on medical care bans for transgender youth
• Lawsuits filed against anti-transgender gender marker policies
• "Shield" or "refuge" laws protecting transgender health care
• Nondiscrimination laws protecting LGBTQ people
• Bans on conversion "therapy" for LGBTQ youth
• MAP's sexual orientation policy categorization for Maryland moves to "High"

Negative Policy Updates

• Broad "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (RFRA) exemptions
• Forced or encouraged outing of transgender youth in schools
• Regulating gender to allow discrimination against transgender and nonbinary people
• Gender marker changes on driver's licenses

Developing News

• 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on transgender-related medical care in state-sponsored plans

. . . . . . . .

Blocks and vetoes of transgender youth sports bans

Equality Map | Citations sheet

There are now 25 states that ban transgender students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity. Nearly 2 in 5 (38%) transgender youth live in states with these bans.

• April 2: The governor of Wisconsin vetoed a school sports ban. This was the 12th veto of such a ban since these bills first emerged in 2020.
• April 16: The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked West Virginia's ban, ruling that it violates Title IX. The state has said it will appeal this ruling to the Supreme Court.

Broad "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (RFRA) exemptions

Equality Map | Citations sheet

• April 2: Iowa became the 27th state with a broad RFRA law. These laws allow individuals, businesses, and other organizations to seek exemptions from state laws, such as nondiscrimination laws, saying they conflict with their religious beliefs.

Regulating gender to allow discrimination against transgender and nonbinary people

Equality Map | Citations sheet

• April 9: Idaho became the 8th state with a law or policy regulating gender by defining "sex" throughout state law.
• This government gender regulation has already been used in other states to stop gender marker changes on identity documents and allow for other attacks on transgender people's lives.

"Shield" or "refuge" laws protecting transgender health care

Equality Map | Citations sheet

• April 22: Maine became the 16th state (including D.C.) with a law or executive order protecting access to transgender-related health care. Maine is the 13th state (including D.C.) with legislation to this effect, and the first this year.

Nondiscrimination laws protecting LGBTQ people

See our Equality Map and supporting citations at the links below.

• April 25: Maryland enacted an important new nondiscrimination law. While the state already had LGBTQ-inclusive protections in many key areas, this law clarifies, strengthens, and makes consistent those protections (and others including for race, disability, and religion) following a 'troubling ruling' from the state's supreme court last year. In doing so, it also adds explicit LGBTQ protections to the state's laws for nondiscrimination in:
• Private health insurance (see MAP's Equality Map and fact sheet)
• Credit and lending (see MAP's Equality Map and fact sheet)
• Jury service nondiscrimination laws (see MAP's Equality Map and fact sheet)

Bans on conversion "therapy" for LGBTQ youth

Equality Map | Citations sheet

• May 2: In Pennsylvania, five relevant state administrative boards adopted new policies that effectively prohibit the use of conversion "therapy."

  This builds on the state's 2022 executive order prohibiting the use of state funds for the practice and makes Pennsylvania the 24th state (including D.C.) to fully ban this dangerous and discredited practice.

Conversion "therapy" laws prohibit licensed mental health practitioners from subjecting LGBTQ minors to harmful conversion "therapy" practices that attempt to change their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Read all of MAP's state-level policy updates for May 2024

MAP's LGBTQ Equality Bill Tracker

To continue highlighting trends across the country, included below are our current bill tracking counts for anti-LGBTQ bills in state legislatures.

Note that these counts may differ from other organizations or public counts for a variety of reasons, and this work is greatly facilitated by the work of other organizations including the ACLU and the Equality Federation and their member state groups.

As of May 1, 2024, the count of anti-LGBTQ bills so far in 2024 is:

• At least 510 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced across at least 40 states.
• At least 40 bills redefining "sex" to enable discrimination against transgender people have been introduced across at least 20 states.

About MAP: MAP's mission is to provide independent and rigorous research, insight and communications that help speed equality and opportunity for all. MAP works to ensure that all people have a fair chance to pursue health and happiness, earn a living, take care of the ones they love, be safe in their communities, and participate in civic life. www.mapresearch.org