House Bill No. 429, introduced by Representative Boyd, aims to amend existing Louisiana employment discrimination laws to include protections against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. The bill updates the definitions in R.S. 23:302 to explicitly define "gender identity" and "sexual orientation," and it expands the scope of unlawful discrimination in employment practices as outlined in R.S. 23:332. Specifically, it prohibits employers, employment agencies, and labor organizations from discriminating against individuals based on these newly defined categories, alongside existing protected characteristics such as race, color, religion, and sex.

In addition to these insertions, the bill clarifies that while it is unlawful to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity, it does not infringe upon the rights of free expression, association, or the free exercise of religion as protected by the First Amendment and the Louisiana Constitution. The proposed law retains existing provisions that allow for certain exceptions where discrimination may be permissible if it is a bona fide occupational qualification. Overall, this legislation seeks to enhance workplace protections for individuals based on their gender identity and sexual orientation in Louisiana.

Statutes affected:
HB429 Original: 23:302, 23:332(A)(1)