LGBTQ+ Rights And The 2026 Utah Legislative Session
The legislative session in Utah has been a difficult time for LGBTQ+ Utahns in recent years, especially for our transgender community.
It seems each year there is new legislation that challenges our rights and our dignity as queer folks, and 2026 is no exception. As our mission is to uplift queer people, we want to make our community aware of some of the bills we are keeping an eye on.
Queer folks exist in many communities, and we know things like housing policy, immigration issues, environmental justice, and so many more impact all of us. As a trans-led organization, we want to center the attacks on our community, and we want to encourage folks to follow other organizations that have more resources to cover a broader array of crucial issues or a specific focus area.
Some examples include ACLU Utah, Advocates For Trans Equality, Friends of Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake Harm Reduction Project, Green Wave Utah, USARA, and many, many more. We encourage everyone to be active and engaged with the legislative session across the range of intersectional issues that affect all of us who call Utah home.
Bills We Are Keeping An Eye On
HB 174: Banning Gender Affirming Care For Trans Youth
Context:
The Utah Legislature placed a stop on gender affirming care for trans youth in 2023 and commissioned a study to explore the issue. This study found that the positive outcomes of gender affirming care far outweigh the risks (click here to see the results). Rather than checking their own biases and learning from the findings of their own commissioned study, legislators have attacked the credibility of the study. Even worse, rather than addressing their perceived issues with the study, lawmakers are pushing to make the ban permanent and deny youth access to the care they need.
As of February 9, HB 174 has passed the House and introduced in the Senate, where it is scheduled for the Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee.
Project Rainbow’s Position:
Gender affirming care saves lives, and transgender Utahns deserve access to the care they need to live their most authentic lives.
Numerous research studies beyond the one Utah commissioned have resoundingly shown the benefits of gender affirming care. It is unconscionable for legislators to disregard their own findings and move forward to restrict access to care that is affirming and often life-saving.
Other studies have found that about 1% of people who receive gender affirming surgery regret the decision. For comparison, as many as 60% of people who access aesthetic care like plastic surgery regret the decision, and around 20% of people who undergo a knee replacement are unsatisfied with the results. This demonstrates a vast double standard and unprecedented government interference in health care decisions.
These bans and restrictions single out trans people for unwarranted scrutiny and create suffering, while putting legislators between patients and medical providers. We encourage all Utahns to stand up for bodily autonomy and the rights of their trans neighbors and oppose these bills.
HB 193: Bans Public Funding for Gender Affirming Care
Context:
HB 193 would prohibit the use of public funds for gender-affirming care. This would strip insurance coverage for care from state employees or anyone else on a state-backed insurance plan, as well as for folks who receive coverage through sources like Medicaid or Medicare.
As of February 9, HB 193 has passed the House and been introduced in the Senate. It has been sent to the Senate Business and Labor Committee.
Project Rainbow’s Position:
As noted above, gender-affirming care saves lives. The efficacy and value of gender-affirming care are well-documented and researched, and all Utahns deserve access to health care, even if their identity makes other people uncomfortable.
Health care decisions should be made by patients and medical providers, not by lawmakers. Like HB 174, this bill represents government overreach of the kind that threatens the freedom and bodily autonomy of everyone. Our state institutions should be welcoming and inclusive, because doing the right thing is important. Basic decency and empathy aside, this law could make it hard for places like universities and others to attract and recruit diverse, top-tier talent.
HB 183: Narrowly Defines Gender As Sex At Birth, Eliminates Nondiscrimination Protections For Trans People
Context:
HB 183 from Rep. Trevor Lee has some very alarming language. Not only would the bill require gender to be defined as sex at birth and replace gender with sex in many places, but it would require that definition be used for all administrative decisions. It would further ban amending a birth certificate to update a person’s gender, and strip nondiscrimination protections in housing and employment for transgender Utahns. It would also put restrictions on trans staff in certain fields from interfacing with children, and target trans folks in other ways.
As of February 9, HB 183 has had its first reading in the House, but a committee hearing has not yet been scheduled. It currently sits in the House Rules Committee, which may recommend it to a subcommittee for a hearing. While this bill is perhaps the most damaging to trans Utahns, it is notable that so far, the bill lacks a co-sponsor in the Senate.
Project Rainbow’s Position:
This bill is dangerous, demeaning, and dehumanizing. Utah passed a statewide nondiscrimination ordinance several years ago that protects folks from discriminatory practices in housing and employment, and this bill would callously strip away those protections while formally othering trans people as a matter of official state policy.
We oppose this measure in the strongest possible terms. Legislators should be looking for ways to manage the needs of our citizens, not singling out disenfranchised minorities and demonizing them for cheap political points. Everyone should contact their lawmakers to oppose this bill, especially if it receives a committee hearing.
Follow groups like ACLU of Utah and Advocates for Trans Equality for updates on this bill and for calls to action to direct opposition to this hateful legislation.
HB 196: Would Rename Harvey Milk Boulevard in SLC for Charlie Kirk
Context:
This is another bill from Rep. Trevor Lee, who seems obsessed with carrying out a personal vendetta against LGBTQ+ Utahns. HB 196 aims to rename the iconic Harvey Milk Boulevard in Salt Lake City for Charlie Kirk. The bill would also insert the legislature into cities’ decisions on how to name streets, taking away local control and giving the legislature even more power to target decisions they don’t like.
As of February 9, HB 196 has been introduced in the House and sent to the Rules Committee. It has not yet been sent to a committee for a hearing.
Project Rainbow’s Position:
HB 196 feels vengeful and punitive. If Rep. Lee wants to name a street for Charlie Kirk, there are hundreds of options across the state. Singling out Harvey Milk Boulevard is a targeted jab at LGBTQ+ Utahns, and an attack on what has become a thriving gayborhood with a distinct identity in downtown Salt Lake City.
This bill is a thinly veiled attack on the history of queer people and on efforts to increase visibility, dressed up as a way to honor someone who has attracted significant media and cultural attention since his death.
HB 302: Targets Salt Lake City’s Official Affirming Flags
Context:
HB 302 continues the attacks on the display of pride flags on government property, including schools and public parks. Last year’s ban is already in effect, but this bill from Rep. Matt MacPherson seems to be targeting a loophole after Salt Lake City adopted official flags modeled on popular pride flags and the Juneteenth flag, which celebrates the emancipation of slaves in the United States.
While the original bill banned all non-official flags, Rep. Lee was vocal about his goal to target pride flags specifically.
HB 302 would state that cities and other entities can only adopt one official flag, but would allow other ceremonial flags for other uses. The lone official flag would be the only one that is allowed to be flown in certain places, like airports or courthouses. The bill would also give the legislature the authority to review flags adopted by municipalities within the state.
As of February 9, HB 302 has been assigned to the House Government Operations Committee.
Project Rainbow’s Position:
This is a bad bill and a solution in search of a problem that targets LGBTQ+ people and creates a chilling effect across the state, making it less likely for people to show their support for marginalized communities.
HB 302 also silences government speech and sacrifices local control to the legislature. It’s ironic that a party that touts small government and local decisions is in such a hurry to grant greater authority when it comes to topics they have a personal position on.
When HB 77 passed last year and banned pride flags from government property, we observed a chilling effect with fewer people and businesses deciding to fly pride flags even though the ban doesn’t apply to their homes or offices. Legislation like HB 302 creates a climate of control and empowers bigotry while making others feel less confident standing up for what they believe in and about celebrating the diversity that makes our state great.
HB 95: Empowers Teachers and Others To Misgender Children
Context:
Another solution in search of a problem, HB 95 would empower public employees, notably teachers, to misgender trans people. The bill would ban taking official action against public employees who use “gender specific language” and give them latitude to have an exception to policies that encourage people to respect Utahns chosen names and correct pronouns.
As of February 11, HB 95 has been referred to the House Rules Committee but has yet to be assigned to a subcommittee for a hearing. Similar legislation failed last year.
Project Rainbow’s Position:
Everyone deserves respect and the dignity of having their identity recognized. This is especially true for children. Empowering people, especially teachers, to misgender students creates an alarming power imbalance that is likely to increase bullying and stigma. Granting people a free pass to misgender folks also creates a safety issue, as it has the potential to out someone without their consent and subject them to bigotry.
There is harmful messaging from certain elements who want to paint measures like this as protection for people who make a mistake or slip when it comes to pronouns. No one supports punishing someone for making an occasional mistake, and most policies regarding respecting pronouns are designed to prevent intentional, persistent misgendering as a form of harassment or bullying.
This bill would subject children to one more level of harm, and it’s immoral to empower people to disrespect and dehumanize people simply for who they are. This is not about slip-ups, it’s about gross negligence, persistent bullying, and preventing people from making a child the scapegoat for a political debate while singling them out for discrimination.
HB 404: Extends Last Year’s Bill Regarding Student Housing Complexes Discriminating Against Trans Folks To Off-Campus Housing
Context:
HB 404 is an egregious violation of nondiscrimination laws. Last year the legislature gave Universities the power to discriminate against trans people in on-campus housing, and this bill would extend that power to private dorms and allow single-sex spaces to deny trans people rather than respect their gender.
As of February 11, HB 404 has passed in the House and been recommended to the Senate.
Project Rainbow’s Position:
Fair housing practices are crucial to our community and especially for students, who often have limited choices when it comes to housing during their college years. The original law was a gross overreaction to one student feeling uncomfortable sharing a dorm with a trans woman. Even though the student who complained was accommodated with a move to a new dorm assignment, our lawmakers still felt it necessary to pass a blanket ban and signal that trans students are not welcome in student housing.
This bill would extend that discriminatory practice to even more places, and contribute to more harm against folks who are already facing an onslaught of attacks on their rights, their dignity, and their ability to live and work in our state.
HB175 - Bans Businesses That Receive State Funds From Hosting Pride Events
Context:
This bill would prohibit businesses that have received state funds from hosting Pride-themed sports nights or other Pride events. This could impact Pride events at things like Utah Jazz games and other sporting events.
As of February 11, HB 175 has been introduced into the House and referred to the Rules Committee. It has not yet received a committee hearing date.
Project Rainbow’s Position:
This bill would significantly harm pride festivals and organizations that are already reeling from a significant drop in funding in 2025 from national corporations. Like many bills proposed by Trevor Lee in 2026, this bill is a targeted attack on LGBTQ+ Utahns dressed up in broader language, but with a specific goal of punishing queer folks for existing.
National Concerns
Broadly speaking, the national administration is very hostile to trans folks, with harmful messaging at every turn and heartbreaking developments like denying passports that match trans folks’ gender identity and more.
We encourage folks to stay apprised of these national developments, but wanted to call out one proposal in particular that has immense capacity to cause harm. In December, the administration proposed new HHS rules that would ban gender affirming care for trans youth, and penalize hospitals and providers that deliver this important care by threatening their ability to participate in things like Medicaid, CHIP, and more.
As we stated above, trans youth deserve bodily autonomy and access to health care and the proven benefits gender-affirming care provides. The second rule may also have a chilling effect on care for all trans folks regardless of age, as losing access to Medicare and etc. would be a major hit to most providers and certainly a death blow to smaller practices and medical facilities in rural areas that rely on this funding to operate.
Public comment on the proposed rule changes is open until February 17, and we encourage everyone to weigh in on this important topic and advocate for the rights of trans folks.
Resources For Engaging
This legislation is harmful and could have a major impact on Utahns quality of life and personal freedom. We encourage everyone to stand up for transgender folks and the broader LGBTQ+ community. These attacks are an assault on bodily autonomy and patients’ rights to manage their health care with advice from their doctors, and rules that place the government between providers and patients are a dangerous precedent we should all be standing up against.
We are not powerless, and there are things we can all do to make a difference and make our opposition clear and impactful. Here are some links and resources that may help you track legislation and engage strategically in the legislative process.
Create an account and track bills at le.utah.gov. Once you’ve made an account, you can sign up for email updates about bills, including where they are in the process or when hearings with the opportunity for public comment arise. We recommend contacting lawmakers who sit on these committees, as well as your own representatives, to oppose these bills. Those actions can be particularly impactful as bills advance or come up for votes.
The ACLU of Utah maintains a dedicated page for the 2026 session, including priority legislation and bill-tracking resources. This is a great source of information and a way to plug yourself into broader calls to action.
Submit public comment on the national HHS rules. This page from the Human Rights Coalition has information on the proposals and tools for submitting a public comment.
This training from Alex Del Rosario at Advocates For Trans Equality has tips for speaking to lawmakers and testifying at hearings when it comes to trans rights. This is a great resource for understanding how to make the biggest impact possible.
Another training from A4TE has details on how to speak about transgender issues while also considering the intersex community and making sure your voice is protecting both communities.
Equality Utah also has a legislative page for the 2026 session, with summaries of bills that affect the LGBTQ+ community and opportunities to join calls to action to oppose bills.
