Text of LA HB 1137 (2026)

HLS 26RS-2683 ORIGINAL 2026 Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO. 1137 BY REPRESENTATIVE CREWS EMPLOYMENT/DISCRIMINATN: Prohibits employment discrimination based on the misuse of pronouns 1 AN ACT 2 To enact R.S. 23:333, relative to employment discrimination; to prohibit termination or 3 other retaliatory actions against an employee for the misuse of pronouns; and to 4 provide for related matters. 5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 6 Section 1. R.S. 23:333 is hereby enacted to read as follows: 7 §333. Intentional discrimination in employment for misuse of pronouns; prohibited 8 No employer shall terminate or take any other retaliatory action against an 9 employee for misgendering or improper use of an individual's pronouns. DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 1137 Original 2026 Regular Session Crews Abstract: Prohibits employment discrimination based on the misgendering or improper use of an individual's pronouns. Proposed law prohibits an employer from terminating or taking any other retaliatory action against an employee for misgendering or improper use of an individual's pronouns. (Adds R.S. 23:333) Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

ENROLLED ACT No. 579 2026 Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO. 1137 BY REPRESENTATIVE CREWS AND SENATORS BASS, EDMONDS, HODGES, MIGUEZ, MORRIS, AND SEABAUGH 1 AN ACT 2 To enact R.S. 23:333, relative to employment discrimination; to prohibit adverse 3 employment actions based on certain constitutionally protected speech; to prohibit 4 compelled speech in the workplace; to provide for the use of certain pronouns or 5 honorifics; to provide for legislative findings and intent; to provide definitions; to 6 provide exceptions; and to provide for related matters. 7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 8 Section 1. R.S. 23:333 is hereby enacted to read as follows: 9 §333. Intentional discrimination based on compelled speech; prohibited; use of 10 pronouns and certain honorifics; definitions; exceptions 11 A. For the purposes of this Section, the following terms have the meanings 12 ascribed to them: 13 (1)(a) "Employee" means a person employed by the state, any branch of state 14 government, any state board, commission, or other agency, or any local subdivision 15 of the state for the performance of work, including a full-time, part-time, temporary, 16 or seasonal worker. 17 (b) "Employee" also includes an applicant for employment. Page 1 of 4 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HB NO. 1137 ENROLLED 1 (2) "Employer" means any of the following: 2 (a) The state of Louisiana and any office, department, agency, board, 3 commission, institution, or instrumentality thereof. 4 (b) Any political subdivision of the state, including but not limited to any 5 parish or municipality, special district, or other local governmental unit, and any 6 agency, board, commission, or instrumentality thereof. 7 (3) "Legal name" means a person's name as evidenced on the person's 8 original birth certificate issued at or near the time of birth, or otherwise lawfully 9 amended. 10 (4) "Sex" means a person's immutable biological sex, either female or male, 11 as may be evidenced on the original birth certificate issued at or near the time of 12 birth that indicates that the person is one of the following: 13 (a) "Female" which means an individual whose biological reproductive 14 system is developed to produce ova and who has had, will have, or would have, but 15 for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, the reproductive 16 system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes eggs for fertilization. 17 (b) "Male" which means an individual whose biological reproductive system 18 is developed to fertilize the ova of a female who has had, will have, or would have, 19 but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, the reproductive 20 system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes sperm for fertilization. 21 B.(1) An employer shall not adopt or enforce a policy that requires an 22 employee to state or identify pronouns inconsistent with the employee's sex. 23 (2) An employer shall not adopt or enforce a policy that requires an 24 employee to use a name other than the employee's legal name, or a derivative 25 thereof, in official employment records or communications. 26 C.(1) An employee shall not be required, as a condition of employment, to 27 address another employee or any other person by a name other than the person's legal 28 name, or a derivative thereof, or to use pronouns, salutations, titles, or honorifics 29 inconsistent with the other employee's or person's sex. Page 2 of 4 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HB NO. 1137 ENROLLED 1 (2) An employee shall not be subject to an adverse employment action for 2 declining or refusing to do any of the following: 3 (a) Identify the employee's own pronouns. 4 (b) Address a person using a name other than the person's legal name, or a 5 derivative thereof, or by a pronoun, salutation, title, or other honorific inconsistent 6 with the person's sex. 7 D. No employee shall be subject to an adverse employment action for using 8 pronouns consistent with a person's sex. 9 E. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prohibit a request from one 10 employee to another employee, or a voluntary agreement among employees 11 regarding forms of addressing a person, if that agreement is not compelled by the 12 employer. 13 Section 2.(A) The legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following: 14 (1) The Supreme Court of the United States has held that the First Amendment of 15 the Constitution of the United States protects not only the right to speak freely but also the 16 right to refrain from speaking. 17 (2) Employment practices that compel speech on matters of political, ideological, 18 or religious significance threaten individual liberties and freedom of conscience. 19 (3) The Supreme Court of the United States has affirmed that the First Amendment 20 prohibits the government from compelling speech by requiring an individual to communicate 21 messages contrary to sincerely held religious beliefs. 22 (B) Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to: 23 (1) Protect employees and applicants from adverse employment actions based on 24 their refusal to engage in compelled speech in violation of the First Amendment of the 25 Constitution of the United States. 26 (2) Ensure that no employer requires an employee to express, adopt, or affirm a 27 belief or message regarding sex or pronoun usage that conflicts with the employee's 28 sincerely held beliefs. 29 (3) Safeguard the constitutional rights of freedom of speech and free exercise of 30 religion in the workplace. Page 3 of 4 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HB NO. 1137 ENROLLED 1 (4) Provide clear statutory protections consistent with the First Amendment of the 2 Constitution of the United States and applicable court opinions. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED: Page 4 of 4 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.