Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: HB25-1312

Jacques: Colorado’s speech police aren’t protecting rights—they’re punishing dissent
Approved, Commentary, State, USA Today

Jacques: Colorado’s speech police aren’t protecting rights—they’re punishing dissent

By Ingrid Jacques | Commentary, USA Today Colorado has threatened to sic the thought police on anyone who doesn't comply by using state-approved language about transgender people. You’d think that after two significant losses at the U.S. Supreme Court, Colorado would tread more carefully with its anti-discrimination laws.  No such luck. A new law, signed by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis in May, expands the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act to make deadnaming and misgendering transgender individuals a punishable offense. California, not surprisingly, has tried something similar but on a more limited basis. The updated Colorado provisions have already attracted lawsuits on the grounds that the law violates the U.S. Constitution, includ...
Boll: Colorado calls it protection. Parents call it betrayal.
Approved, Commentary, State, Substack, Top Stories

Boll: Colorado calls it protection. Parents call it betrayal.

By Laureen Boll | Commentary, Genspect Colorado is increasingly unhinged when it comes to gender Imagine the nightmare: You learn that your 17-year-old daughter, with whom you’ve always shared a deep, loving bond, has embarked upon an intimate relationship with her female teacher—a deeply inappropriate situation under any circumstances. But instead of acting to safeguard your child, school officials secretly label her “homeless” to allow her to move in with the teacher, withholding the truth from you. Unfortunately, this is the harsh reality for one Jefferson County, Colorado, family. When the parent uncovered the deception and confronted the high school principal, they were met with a shocking defense: the teacher was simply “helping kids explore their sexual identity.” Some ...
Enos: Colorado’s war on parental rights isn’t over—it’s escalating
Approved, Christian Home Educators of Colorado, Commentary, State

Enos: Colorado’s war on parental rights isn’t over—it’s escalating

By Colleen Enos | Commentary, Christian Home Educators of Colorado Colorado is on a roll. Violating religious liberty and compelling free speech are two issues that Colorado Courts have already been reprimanded for. Our Courts lost two civil rights lawsuits – Masterpiece Cake Shop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission and 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis – in addition to being overturned by the United States Supreme Court in the decision that was supposed to throw Donald Trump off the 2024 Colorado Presidential Election ballot. Now, we are doing it all over again. On Friday, May 16th, Governor Polis quietly signed HB25-1312, Legal Protections for Transgender Individuals, into law. There was no ceremony or statement from the Governor, just an administrative signature. When...
Free speech fight hits Colorado: XX-XY Athletics sues over HB25-1312
Approved, Fox News, State

Free speech fight hits Colorado: XX-XY Athletics sues over HB25-1312

By Jackson Thompson | Fox News Brand founder Jennifer Sey says legislation forces Coloradans to 'adhere to an ideology that is in violation of actual truth' EXCLUSIVE: The women's activist sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics is suing the state of Colorado over a recent state law that the company claims would interfere with its ability to market its message.  The lawsuit takes aim at the state for passing a law called HB25-1312 and amending the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, which defines "gender expression" to include "chosen name" and "how an individual chooses to be addressed." The laws state Coloradans have a right to access "public accommodations and advertising" that are free of discrimination on that basis.  The company's lawsuit claims ...
Hunt: Governor signs laws advancing trans agenda, sparking constitutional challenge
Approved, Commentary, State, TownHall.com

Hunt: Governor signs laws advancing trans agenda, sparking constitutional challenge

By Nicole Hunt | Commentary, Townhall Just as a refreshing wave of reality-based, commonsense policy seems to be sweeping the nation, Colorado lawmakers are doubling down on “trans” policies that can only be described as absurd, unconscionable and unconstitutional. For those of us in Colorado who still believe in parental rights and free speech, the speed at which our state is descending into a dystopian nightmare is terrifying. Here in Colorado, transactivists control the State House, the Senate, and the governor’s seat. Whatever they want to do, however far they want to push the envelope, they can, and they did this legislative cycle. Some of the bills are so radical that even California’s governor refused to sign similar legislation. This session we saw two radical trans bil...
Colorado sued over law punishing ‘misgendering’: Doctors, parents cite First Amendment
Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Colorado sued over law punishing ‘misgendering’: Doctors, parents cite First Amendment

By Marissa Ventrelli | Denver Gazette Several organizations and a western Colorado dermatologist have filed a lawsuit seeking to block specific provisions of a recently signed state law that, as originally introduced, would have defined "deadnaming" and "misgendering" as discriminatory acts but whose final version had been heavily modified.   The plaintiffs in the lawsuit included Defending Education, the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network, Protect Kids Colorado, and Do No Harm. Travis Morrell, a Grand Junction dermatologist and member of Do No Harm, is also a plaintiff. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Colorado Civil Rights Division members are named as defendants. All five groups believe that a person's gender identity "cannot differ from their sex ...
Silent signature, rising resistance: HB1312 becomes law, but parents vow to fight on
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Silent signature, rising resistance: HB1312 becomes law, but parents vow to fight on

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 25-1312 into law on Friday, May 16, without a press conference, social media announcement or public ceremony. While the bill, known as the "Kelly Loving Act," was hailed by progressive lawmakers as a milestone for transgender rights, many Coloradans who opposed the bill say the governor's quiet signature is a telling indication of just how controversial the legislation had become. Parental rights groups and faith-based organizations who protested HB25-1312 throughout the session say the final version still undermines their fundamental freedoms. They argue the amendments stripped from the bill prove public pressure worked – but insist what remains is a direct threat to families, schools and the Constitution. ...
Backlash ignored: Senate approves HB25-1312 without parental rights protections
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Backlash ignored: Senate approves HB25-1312 without parental rights protections

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Proponents hail the bill as a civil rights milestone for transgender youth. But Republicans say it strips parental rights, embeds compelled speech into law and threatens custody in future court cases. After weeks of public backlash, failed compromise efforts, and a marathon Senate floor debate, Colorado lawmakers gave final approval Tuesday to HB25-1312 – a bill that critics say severs parents from decisions about their children’s identities in school. The bill passed its final Senate vote on Tuesday with no additional debate or amendments. The House voted to concur with all Senate amendments and repassed the bill without further changes, sending it to Governor Jared Polis. The final version no longer includes the family court and out-of-s...
“Parents Last”: Senate Democrats Advance HB25-1312 Despite Mass Opposition, Custody Concerns
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

“Parents Last”: Senate Democrats Advance HB25-1312 Despite Mass Opposition, Custody Concerns

By Tori Ganahl | Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado’s controversial “Kelly Loving Act” is one step away from becoming law, after the state Senate advanced HB25-1312 in a party-line vote Monday night. The bill passed 23-12 following hours of floor debate—nearing an end to a legislative saga that’s drawn over 700 would-be testifiers, more than 17,000 emails from concerned constituents, and ongoing warnings from legal experts, parents, and educators. The bill started as an expansion of the Colorado Anti-discrimination Act (CADA), aiming to add gender identity and expression as protected categories in schools, courts, and beyond. Even after key changes, Republicans say it still threatens parental rights and opens the door to new legal trouble for those who disagree with progressive gender pol...
Doctors, parents, pastors say HB25-1312 “crosses line” as Senate advances bill after midnight
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Doctors, parents, pastors say HB25-1312 “crosses line” as Senate advances bill after midnight

By Tori Ganahl | Rocky Mountain Voice HB25-1312, also known as the “Kelly Loving Act,” proposes major changes to how Colorado law handles gender identity. After more than eight hours of emotional testimony that went past 1:00 a.m., the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the bill on a 5–2 party-line vote. The bill would expand the state’s anti-discrimination laws to include gender identity and expression in areas like public spaces, schools, and legal proceedings. Bill sponsor Faith Winters described it as a “crash couch for the state,” a metaphor meant to convey safety and refuge for at-risk individuals. https://twitter.com/scottpshamblin/status/1917691858547007671?s=42 Despite several amendments adopted during the hearing, critics argue the bill still threatens parental...