BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — While state offices and schools were closed across Louisiana on Wednesday because of severe storms, a GOP-controlled legislative committee gathered in the Capitol to debate controversial bills that opponents say target the LGBTQ+ community.
With few members of the public in the audience, an uncommon occurrence when such bills are heard, the House Committee on Education proceeded with business and quietly advanced two bills. One of the pieces of legislation is similar to a Florida law that critics have dubbed as a “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which broadly bars teachers from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation in public school classrooms. The other measure would require public school teachers to use the pronouns and names that align with the gender students were assigned at birth.
Ahead of the vote to advance the bills, which will be debated on the House floor next, one of the four people present to testify against the measures urged lawmakers to reschedule the meeting or wait to vote after a second hearing.
Britain's new bonkers EV: Callum Skye is an £80k electric buggy built in Warwickshire
Nearly 100 Belarus political prisoners have severe medical problems, rights group says
Chinese museums receive 73 mln visits during Spring Festival holiday
Colleagues, family react to death of AP reporter Terry Anderson
Iran helicopter crash that killed President Raisi could reverberate across the Middle East
The Guess Who and B.T.O. rocker Randy Bachman has prized instruments up for auction
Victoria Beckham and her lookalike sister Louise Adams pose arm
Cruz Beckham's VERY sweet tribute to mum Victoria at her star
Hollywood star Shia LaBeouf is spotted on the streets of Gavin and Stacey's hometown Barry
Supreme Court will hear ghost guns case
Mystery artist who erected signs comparing pothole
What the cost of insulin may mean for Biden's campaign