HB 1137: EMPLOYMENT/DISCRIMINATN: Prohibits intentional discrimination based on compelled speech with respect to using certain pronouns, names, or honorifics - Louisiana

HB1137 Original → HB1137 Act 579 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly rewritten to shift its primary focus from prohibiting discrimination based on pronoun usage to protecting employees from compelled speech and adverse actions related to refusing to use specific pronouns or names. The new version explicitly defines 'sex' based on immutable biological characteristics and prohibits employers from requiring employees to state pronouns inconsistent with their biological sex, while also banning employers from forcing employees to use names or pronouns that conflict with another person's biological sex.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a narrow prohibition on misgendering to a broader framework protecting freedom of speech and religious belief in the workplace, while simultaneously restricting how employers can handle name and pronoun usage policies.

DEFINITION

Added specific legal definitions for 'Employee', 'Employer', 'Legal name', and 'Sex', with 'Sex' strictly defined by biological reproductive systems.

REQUIREMENT

Prohibits employers from adopting policies that require employees to state pronouns inconsistent with their biological sex.

Prohibits employers from requiring employees to use names other than their legal name in official records or communications.

Protects employees from adverse actions if they decline to identify their own pronouns or refuse to use names/pronouns inconsistent with a person's biological sex.

Removed the original text that specifically prohibited termination or retaliation for the misuse of pronouns or misgendering.

SCOPE

Added legislative findings declaring that the First Amendment protects the right to refrain from speaking and that compelled speech on ideological matters threatens individual liberties.

HB1137 Enrolled → HB1137 Original · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly rewritten to shift its focus from protecting employees from compelled speech and specific pronoun requirements to broadly prohibiting employers from terminating or retaliating against employees for the misuse of pronouns. The original version included detailed definitions of biological sex and restrictions on employers requiring employees to use specific pronouns or names, while the new version removes these constraints and simplifies the statute to a single anti-retaliation provision.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed from a comprehensive framework regulating workplace speech, name usage, and definitions of sex to a single provision protecting employees from retaliation for pronoun misuse.

DEFINITION

Removed detailed definitions of 'Employee', 'Employer', 'Legal name', and 'Sex', including specific descriptions of biological reproductive systems.

REQUIREMENT

Removed provisions prohibiting employers from adopting policies that require employees to use specific pronouns, names, or titles inconsistent with their biological sex.

Added a broad prohibition against employers terminating or taking retaliatory action against any employee for the misuse of pronouns.

SCOPE

Changed the bill's primary focus from protecting freedom of speech and preventing compelled speech to protecting employees from retaliation for pronoun misuse.

HB1137 Reengrossed → HB1137 Enrolled · 5 edits · May 25, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as an enrolled version, adding co-sponsors and updating page counts. The core policy definitions regarding employees, employers, and protected categories (sex, legal name) were reorganized into a new structure but retained their original meaning. The legislative findings and intent sections were slightly reordered to align with the new definition layout.

Scope change

The scope of applicability remains unchanged; the bill still applies to state agencies and local subdivisions.

TECHNICAL

Added co-sponsors (Senators Bass, Edmonds, Hodges, Miguez, Morris, and Seabaugh) to the sponsor list.

Reorganized the definitions section to list 'Employee' and 'Employer' first, followed by 'Legal name' and 'Sex', changing the internal numbering and layout.

Adjusted the 'Employee' definition to explicitly include state agencies, boards, and local subdivisions, clarifying the scope of covered entities.

Reordered the legislative findings and intent paragraphs to match the new definition structure.

Updated page counts from 5 to 4 and changed the header from 'Reengrossed' to 'Enrolled'.

HB1137 Engrossed → HB1137 Reengrossed · 5 edits · May 13, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was reengrossed to significantly narrow its scope from prohibiting discrimination based on the 'misuse of pronouns' to prohibiting discrimination based on 'compelled speech.' The new version explicitly defines 'sex' based on biological reproductive systems and adds specific rules preventing employers from forcing employees to use pronouns or names inconsistent with their biological sex. It also clarifies that employees cannot be punished for refusing to identify their own pronouns or address others using names or pronouns inconsistent with the other person's biological sex.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from a broad prohibition on pronoun misuse to a specific protection against compelled speech regarding sex-based identifiers, while simultaneously establishing clear rules on how employers must handle pronouns and names in the workplace.

SCOPE

The bill's title and summary were changed to focus on 'compelled speech' rather than just the 'misuse of pronouns,' shifting the legal focus to First Amendment rights.

DEFINITION

New definitions were added for 'Employee,' 'Legal name,' 'Sex,' 'Female,' and 'Male,' with 'Sex' specifically defined by biological reproductive systems.

REQUIREMENT

New requirements were added stating that employers cannot force employees to use pronouns or names inconsistent with their biological sex.

New protections were added stating that employees cannot be punished for refusing to identify their own pronouns or for addressing others using names or pronouns inconsistent with the other person's biological sex.

A new provision was added allowing voluntary agreements between employees on how to address each other, provided the employer does not compel these agreements.

EMPLOYMENT/DISCRIMINATN: Prohibits intentional discrimination based on compelled speech with respect to using certain pronouns, names, or honorifics

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors