Tasmania to introduce hate crime law
Michigan Democrats racing against time to pass LGBTQ rights bills
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Philippines: The Committee on Elections is drafting nondiscrimination rules to protect LGBT candidates and voters from harassment ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.
Australia: The Tasmania state government is drafting legislation to extend hate crime laws to cover crimes motivated by anti-LGBTI bias, and to allow harsher penalties than are currently allowed. This comes following a report delivered in May.
Namibia: The parliamentary elections were a bit of a mess, with ballots not being delivered to many locations. The election authority extended voting for two more days amid opposition calls for the entire election to be re-run. No results yet as voting continues through Saturday.
At the UN
The International Service for Human Rights has a look at some of the things the UN got up to this month in terms of global LGBTI rights. Mostly studies.
Meanwhile, in the States
New York: Gov. Hochul signed into law a bill that officially decriminalizes adultery – a win for keeping the government out of our bedrooms.
Michigan: State Democrats really aren’t letting their limited remaining time in power stop them from introducing more bills. On Tuesday, Democrats introduced bills to decriminalize HIV transmission, bar extradition of abortion providers, and decriminalize adultery, among literally dozens of others that are unlikely to pass in the limited time available. Senate Dems did send the hate crime bill to committee, so depending on how fast the committee works, it’s possible that passes before the Christmas break.
California: A state judge has denied a request from opposing athletes seeking to bar a trans volleyball player from competing in a college tournament.
Tennessee: Next week, SCOTUS hears a case seeking to overturn the state’s ban on gender care for trans minors.
Arizona: LGBTQ activists in the state are gearing up to fight against what’s certain to be a deluge of anti-LGBTQ legislation proposed by the legislature’s Republican majorities. Because most of this will get vetoed by the Democratic governor, expect to see some form of anti-LGBTQ, or anti-trans law on the ballot in 2026.