Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in America face discrimination in their daily lives. By the close of 2016, 20 states plus DC banned discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in employment, housing, and public accommodations, and an additional three states provided incomplete statewide nondiscrimination protections. All people – including those who are gay or transgender – should be treated fairly and equally by the laws of their state, and should have the opportunity to earn a living, access housing, and participate fully in society.

In 2016, state legislatures across the country and Congress introduced some bills that would have protected LGBT people from discrimination, and others that would have rolled back existing protections or open the door to discrimination against gay and transgender people.

Click on the links below to learn more about the kinds of previously introduced bills and their implications.

Types of bills:

a. Comprehensive Protection

Comprehensive nondiscrimination bills prevent discrimination based on both sexual orientation and gender identity (or only gender identity if state law already covers sexual orientation), and do so in a range of contexts, including employment, housing, and public accommodations. Comprehensive bills do not have overly broad religious exemptions or other carve-outs.

State Bill Number Status AK HB 19 6/19/2016: Dead AK HB 42 6/19/2016: Dead AK SB 20 6/19/2016: Dead AZ SB 1199 5/7/2016: Dead FL HB 45 3/11/2016: Dead FL SB 120 3/11/2016: Dead IN SB 2 3/14/2016: Dead IN SB 170 3/14/2016: Dead KS HB 2323 6/1/2016: Dead KY HB 155 4/15/2016: Dead KY SB 176 4/15/2016: Dead LA HB 501 6/23/2016: Dead LA SB 332 6/23/2016: Dead MA H 1577/H 4253 7/31/2016: Dead MA S 735/S 2407 7/8/2016: Became Law MI HB 4538 12/31/2016: Dead MI SB 315 12/31/2016: Dead MO HB 1924 5/13/2016: Dead MO HB 2279 5/13/2016: Dead MO HB 2319 5/13/2016: Dead MO HB 2414 5/13/2016: Dead MO HB 2478 5/13/2016: Dead MO SB 653 5/13/2016: Dead MS HB 624/SB 2738 4/24/2016: Dead NE LB 586 4/20/2016: Dead NY AB 4558 6/17/2016: Dead NY SB 61 6/17/2016: Dead NC HB 1078 7/1/2016: Dead OH HB 389 12/31/2016: Dead OH SB 318 12/31/2016: Dead PA HB 1510 11/30/2016: Dead PA SB 974 11/30/2016: Dead TN HB 296/SB 371 4/22/2016: Dead UT SB 241 3/10/2016: Dead WV HB 4404 3/15/2016: Dead WV SB 111 3/15/2016: Dead WV SB 518 3/15/2016: Dead

b. Incomplete Protection

Incomplete nondiscrimination bills include those that leave out gender identity protections, those that do not prevent discrimination in all key contexts, and those that contain broad religious exemptions language or carve-outs for sex-segregated facilities.

State Bill Number Status AZ HB 2413 5/7/2016: Dead AZ HB 2414 5/7/2016: Dead AZ HB 2415 5/7/2016: Dead GA HB 323 3/24/2016: Dead IN SB 100 3/14/2016: Dead IN SB 344 3/14/2016: Dead LA HB 925 6/23/2016: Dead LA SB 436 6/23/2016: Dead NC HB 443/SB 612 7/1/2016: Dead NC HB 1118 7/1/2016: Dead OH HB 537 12/31/2016: Dead OK HB 1345 5/27/2016: Dead PA SB 1306 11/30/2016: Dead PA SB 1307 11/30/2016: Dead PA SB 1316 11/30/2016: Dead SC H 3949 6/15/2016: Dead SC H 3950 6/15/2016: Dead SC S 639 6/15/2016: Dead VA HB 179 3/11/2016: Dead VA HB 300 3/11/2016: Dead VA HB 429 3/11/2016: Dead VA HB 913 3/11/2016: Dead VA HB 1005 3/11/2016: Dead VA SB 12 3/11/2016: Dead VA SB 67 3/11/2016: Dead WV HB 4370 3/15/2016: Dead

Several types of harmful bills were introduced in state legislatures in 2016 that either eroded existing protections for LGBT people or opened the door for greater discrimination.

a. Religious Exemptions Bills

There were a variety of types of bills that would have allowed religion to be used to discriminate against gay and transgender people in virtually all aspects of their lives. Click here for our page that tracked these bills across the country.

b. Bills Pre-Empting Local Protections

These bills prevent cities and other local government entities from passing nondiscrimination protections that are greater than the protections offered at the state level, including protections for LGBT people.

State Bill Number Status IN SB 100 3/14/2016: Dead NC HB 2 3/23/2016: Became Law OK SB 1289 5/27/2016: Dead SC S 1203 6/15/2016: Dead VA HB 385 3/11/2016: Dead WV SJR 13 3/15/2016: Dead

c. Anti-Transgender Bills

We also increasingly saw bills that targeted transgender people for discrimination, such as barring access to or even criminalizing the use of appropriate facilities, including restrooms, or restricting transgender students’ ability to fully participate in school.

d. Other Anti-LGBT Bills