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Committee advances ban on requiring preferred honorifics in public employment
Summary
HB 1666 would prohibit state teachers, employees and contractors from being required to use a person's preferred honorifics; after extended debate and a public witness, the committee advanced the bill to Education on a 13‑6‑3 vote.
House Bill 1666, a measure that would extend existing prohibitions on compelled use of preferred names/pronouns to honorifics, moved out of committee to the Education committee after a contentious floor discussion and public testimony.
Representative Mayberry, the sponsor, said the bill expands earlier prohibitions to include honorifics — social titles such as "Mr.," "Ms.," "Mrs.," or "Mx." — and said the measure aims to keep classroom instruction and administrative practice aligned with "objective truth." "A male is a male and a female is a female," the sponsor said, arguing the bill protects children from what he described as confusing introductions in the classroom.
Members challenged the scope and approach of the bill. Representative Mitchell noted the bill could affect many honorifics, including professional titles, and urged the sponsor to narrow the language. Representative Salinas and others said the proposal risks disrespecting people who earn academic or professional honorifics and raised concerns about its impact on higher education and other offices.
Johanna Cohen of Robertson County, a public witness, told the committee that the measure would legalize disrespect for earned titles and called the issue "essentially a grammar lesson." She warned the bill could prevent people with doctorates or religious titles from being addressed with their earned honorifics.
After debate, the committee recorded 13 ayes, 6 nos and 3 present not voting and sent HB 1666 to Education.
