House adopts bill to bar employer discipline for refusing certain pronouns amid heated debate

The Louisiana House passed House Bill 11-37 on April 14, 2026, by a vote of 66–32. The measure bars employers from adopting or enforcing policies that require an employee to state pronouns or names inconsistent with another person's biological sex as defined in the statute and forbids compelled use of names or pronouns contrary to an employee's sincerely held beliefs.

Rep. Lance (Rev.) Cruz, sponsor, framed the measure as a protection against compelled speech and a safeguard for religious liberty. "This bill ensures that no Louisiana worker can lose their job or face punishment for using pronouns that correspond to a person's biological sex," Cruz said on the floor during extensive debate. Cruz adopted a two-page amendment package intended to provide a legal basis tied to First Amendment compelled-speech doctrine.

Lawmakers who opposed the measure said it risks undermining workplace protections and could create conflicting obligations under federal employment law. Rep. John Green said he could not fully vet the late-posted amendment set and asked that the bill be returned to the calendar so members could read it; Cruz said the amendment clarified and provided defensible legal language. Other members raised hypotheticals about repeated refusal to comply with a colleague's requested form of address and whether that behavior could constitute harassment or a hostile work environment; Cruz said the bill "protects employees from compelled speech" and does not immunize harassment.

The House adopted the sponsor's amendment on the floor and moved final passage. The roll-call result was 66 yays and 32 nays. The bill now goes to the Senate for committee consideration.

Vote tally: 66 ayes, 32 nays.