These new Indiana laws affect transgender and other LGBTQ Hoosiers
Five new Indiana laws focused on transgender issues and other LGBTQ concerns will all be in effect by July 1.
State legislators nationwide introduced more anti-LGBTQ bills in 2023 than any previous year, advocates say. That included Indiana, where lawmakers introduced a slew of bills that could have restricted rights for LGBTQ+ Hoosiers. Below are the bills that made it across the finish line.
Pride Month:Indy Pride grapples with new era of corporate cold feet over LGBTQ+ support
Use of transgender names and pronouns in school
House Bill 1608 prohibits the instruction of "human sexuality" in pre-school through third grade, which isn't taught then anyway. It also requires schools to notify parents when their child requests to be called by a different name or pronoun, which some worry will lead to "outing" trans youth. The new law goes into effect July 1.
About the new law:HB 1608 started as a 'don't say gay' bill. Now it targets transgender names, pronouns
Sex ed:New Indiana law against teaching human sexuality in lower grades is too vague, ACLU lawsuit alleges
Banning gender-affirmation surgery in prisons
House Bill 1569 prevents imprisoned people from using state tax dollars for gender-affirming surgery. The Department of Correction doesn't currently provide this surgery for incarcerated people, except in one federal case that settled in 2022. The new law goes into effect July 1.
About the law:Indiana Senate passes bill targeting trans-care in state prisons
Prohibiting transgender health care for minors
Senate Bill 480 prohibits doctors from providing gender-affirming medical care for Hoosiers younger than 18. The ACLU has sued to block the law.
The bill says that doctors in Indiana can no longer perform surgeries or prescribe medication, like puberty blockers, to minors who wish to transition to a gender different from their sex assigned at birth. Children who had been taking hormone therapy prior to June 30 can continue their therapy until Dec. 31. The new law goes into effect July 1.
About the new law:Holcomb signs bill banning transgender surgeries, puberty blockers for minors
Prohibiting bans on conversion therapy
Senate Bill 350 prohibits local governments from enforcing any sort of ban on services provided by social workers, marriage and family therapists, addiction counselors or mental health counselors — including so-called conversion therapy. That's when therapists or counselors try to change LGBTQ clients’ gender identities and sexual orientations, often through faith-based mental health counseling. The new law went into effect upon passage.
Banning books from school libraries
Opponents worry House Bill 1447, which bans "harmful materials" from school libraries, will have a chilling effect. Librarians who share materials that have been defined as "harmful" — which the law reclassifies under the same umbrella as obscene materials — could face jail time. Advocates worry there will be pressure to remove controversial books, including those with LGBTQ content.
About the law:School librarians could face prison for sharing content under this new Indiana law