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House panel advances bill barring coerced use of names or pronouns; teacher testifies against measure
Summary
The House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee voted to send House Bill 12-70 to full finance after testimony and debate. Sponsors said the bill protects state employees and students from being forced to use language that conflicts with their beliefs; opponents warned it could spur federal litigation and harm trans students.
The House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee advanced House Bill 12-70 on a 10-0 vote after roughly an hour of testimony and member questions.
House Bill 12-70, described by sponsor Leader Curtis Cochran as legislation to prevent coercion in “being compelled to speak in a certain way,” would bar state actors and employees from requiring another person to use a specific name or pronoun if doing so conflicts with that person’s sincerely held beliefs or conscience. Leader Cochran said the measure “simply says you cannot be coerced to do that” and framed it as protection for employees with religious or moral…
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