HB 21-1108 Summary

• Defines "gender identity" as an individual's innate sense of their own gender, which may or may not correspond with sex assigned at birth, and "gender expression" as an individual's way of reflecting and expressing gender through appearance, dress, and behavior

• Adds gender identity and gender expression as protected classes alongside existing protections for race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, and disability across employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and credit transactions

• Updates definition of "sexual orientation" to clarify it includes attraction and the behavior or social affiliation that may result from the attraction, rather than only static categories

• Applies protections across multiple state statutes including civil rights laws, education requirements for schools and charter schools, employment practices, housing discrimination, insurance, labor laws, healthcare, and licensing standards

• Takes effect 90 days after final adjournment of the general assembly, subject to referendum petition procedures and approval by voters in November 2022 if petitioned