Tag Archives: gay panic defense

MI Becomes 20th State To Ban Gay Panic Defense

The Michigan Advance reports: While Gov. Gretchen Whitmer fielded questions about speculation that she’ll be joining Kamala Harris as her vice presidential pick on the 2024 ballot, she signed Michigan’s $23.4B education budget into law Tuesday, as well as 39 other bills. Among the bills signed was HB 4718, which bans the “gay panic” or “trans panic” legal defense. The …

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Michigan Gov Gets Bill Banning “Gay Panic” Defense

Michigan Live reports: It would no longer be legal to argue that someone’s sexual orientation justified assaulting them under a proposed law headed to the governor’s desk. If signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a person charged with a violent crime couldn’t seek to reduce or evade criminal liability on claims that they lost control and reacted violently because …

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Florida Dems Intro Ban On Gay/Trans Panic Defense

Florida Politics reports: Florida may soon become the 16th state to ban the use of “gay/trans panic defense” under a new proposal filed Tuesday by two Democratic lawmakers. The bills (SB 374 & HB 205) would prohibit the legal strategy in Florida courtrooms, which would make Florida the latest state to do so within the decade. Senate Minority Leader Lauren …

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Vermont Is 14th State To Ban Gay/Trans Panic Defense

The Vermont Digger reports: Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed into law Wednesday a ban on using the LGBTQ “panic” defense in court cases. Vermont is the 14th state to enact the ban. The new law, H.128, prevents a defendant at trial or sentencing from justifying violent actions by citing a victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Such …

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VA Lawmakers Pass Ban On Gay/Trans Panic Defense

NBC Washington reports: Virginia lawmakers passed a bill that will ban the use of a person’s perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity as a defense in court for the assault or murder of an LGBTQ person. “It’s done: We’re banning the gay/trans panic defense in Virginia,” Del. Danica Roem, D-Manassas, said in a Twitter post. Roem introduced House …

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