Laws filed under this category in plain English.
Michigan's premier civil rights law prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, or marital status.
Indiana's RFRA states that the government cannot 'substantially burden' a person's exercise of religion unless it has a compelling reason and uses the least restrictive means possible.
North Carolina gained national attention for HB2 (the 'Bathroom Bill'), which required people to use public bathrooms corresponding to the sex on their birth certificate. While HB2 was repealed, its replacement (HB142) left restroom regulation solely to the state legislature.
This controversial Florida law restricts how workplaces and schools can teach or train individuals on topics related to race, color, sex, or national origin, particularly concepts associated with Critical Race Theory (CRT). *Note: Parts of this law affecting private businesses and universities are currently blocked by federal courts.*
The Adult Survivors Act created a one-year 'lookback window' (which closed in Nov 2023) that allowed adult victims of sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits against their abusers or the institutions that protected them, regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred.
California was the first state to pass the CROWN Act, which legally prohibits employers and public schools from discriminating against individuals based on their natural hair texture or protective hairstyles.
Following the 2020 protests, Colorado became the first state to completely eliminate the defense of 'Qualified Immunity' for local police officers facing civil rights lawsuits under state law.
Texas SB 17 legally bans all public colleges and universities in the state from having Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices or staff, and prohibits mandatory diversity training.
After severely restricting police chases in 2021, Washington voters passed Initiative 2113 in 2024 to restore the ability of police officers to engage in high-speed vehicular pursuits under broader circumstances.
In 2020, Massachusetts passed comprehensive police reform that created a mandatory certification system for all police officers and strictly limited the use of force, including banning chokeholds.
In 2023, Illinois became the first state in the nation to explicitly outlaw the practice of banning books in public libraries and public school libraries for partisan or doctrinal reasons.
Tennessee attempted to legally ban 'adult cabaret performances' (which explicitly included male or female impersonators/drag shows) from taking place on public property or anywhere minors could see them. *Note: A federal judge struck this law down as unconstitutional.*
HB 1523 legally protects businesses, religious organizations, and state employees from being punished or sued if they refuse to provide services to LGBTQ+ individuals based on three specific religious beliefs.
Maryland was the first state in the U.S. to completely repeal its 'Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights' (LEOBR), stripping away special legal protections that made it difficult to investigate or fire abusive police officers.
Prohibits discrimination in employment and extends protections to all employers regardless of size, specifically strengthening laws against sexual harassment.