House Bill No. 1137, introduced by Representative Crews, aims to prohibit intentional discrimination in the workplace based on compelled speech regarding the use of pronouns, names, or honorifics. The bill enacts R.S. 23:333, which defines key terms such as "employee," "legal name," "sex," "female," and "male." It establishes that employers cannot enforce policies requiring employees to identify pronouns inconsistent with their biological sex or to use names other than their legal names in official records. Additionally, employees cannot be compelled to address others by names or pronouns that do not align with the individual's sex, nor can they face adverse employment actions for refusing to do so.

The legislation also emphasizes the protection of employees' rights to refrain from compelled speech, aligning with First Amendment rights. It clarifies that while employees may voluntarily agree on forms of address, such agreements cannot be mandated by employers. The bill reflects legislative findings that underscore the importance of safeguarding individual liberties and freedom of conscience in the workplace, ensuring that employees are not forced to express beliefs or messages that conflict with their sincerely held beliefs.