Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: HB25-1312

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
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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
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“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
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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...
“Drawing the line”: School boards warn HB25-1312 oversteps on parental rights, brings policy chaos
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“Drawing the line”: School boards warn HB25-1312 oversteps on parental rights, brings policy chaos

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Board members say the bill risks punishing parents, stripping local authority, and forcing schools into the middle of contentious custody battles More than 70 school board members and education leaders have signed a letter urging lawmakers to reject HB25-1312, also known as the Kelly Loving Act. Jason Jorgenson, secretary of the District 11 Board of Education and a lead organizer of the opposition letter, said HB25-1312 “risks encouraging youth to pursue a path of gender transition without appropriate parental involvement.” Andrea Haitz, president of the District 51 Board of Education, warned that the bill “risks placing schools in an even more precarious legal position, especially when parents disagree on matters like gender identity or p...
HB25-1312 Scheduled for Senate Judiciary Hearing Wednesday: How to Participate
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HB25-1312 Scheduled for Senate Judiciary Hearing Wednesday: How to Participate

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff The Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on House Bill 25-1312, titled "Legal Protections for Gender Expression and Identity," this Wednesday, April 30 at the Colorado State Capitol. The bill, which has already passed the House, could redefine “discrimination” to include parents, teachers, and citizens who don’t comply with radical gender ideology demands—including pronoun use and so-called "gender-affirming care." Hearing Information: Date: Wednesday, April 30, 2025 Scheduled Start Time: 1:30 PM (subject to floor work delays) Location: Old Supreme Court Chambers, Colorado State Capitol Members of the public who are interested in providing testimony have several options to participate. Individuals who wish to testif...
Gimelshteyn: The unraveling medical crisis that Colorado parents must pay attention to
Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Gimelshteyn: The unraveling medical crisis that Colorado parents must pay attention to

By Lori Gimelshteyn | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Just a few years ago, parents were assured that “gender-affirming care” was lifesaving, compassionate, and backed by science. Affirmation, puberty blockers, hormones, and ultimately surgery were sold as the only path forward for a child questioning whether they were “born in the wrong body.”  But the cracks in this narrative are widening—and behind them lies a deeply troubling truth: children have been swept into a medical experiment that ignores mental health, underlying trauma, and long-term consequences. Families across Colorado have shared heartbreaking stories of what happened when they trusted this system.  Many parents believed they were doing the right thing—only to realize that the affirmative model...