Colorado Legislature Passes Controversial Bill Targeting ‘Deadnaming’

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is expected to sign a highly controversial bill into law that would classify the intentional use of a transgender-identifying person’s former name—commonly called “deadnaming”—or incorrect pronouns as a form of discrimination under the state’s civil rights law.

The legislation, officially titled House Bill 25-1312 and informally known as the “Kelly Loving Act,” passed the Democratic-controlled state Senate this week with a 20–14 vote. It now heads to Polis’s desk just days after he signed another polarizing measure requiring taxpayer funding for abortion services in the state.

The bill is named after Kelly Loving, a transgender identifying individual who was killed in the 2022 Colorado Springs nightclub shooting. Supporters of the legislation claim it’s a necessary response to continued harassment and marginalization of transgender individuals, while opponents say it dangerously infringes on free speech, parental rights, and common sense.

The Kelly Loving Act amends the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act to define “deadnaming” and “misgendering” as discriminatory practices in workplaces, schools, and public accommodations. It also:

• Mandates inclusive name policies in schools, regardless of a student’s reason for choosing a different name (including reasons unrelated to gender).
• Allows students to follow any dress code variation consistent with their self-identified gender.
• Empowers the Colorado Civil Rights Division to investigate and enforce compliance, potentially levying fines or ordering anti-discrimination training for violators.

A person’s “chosen name” under the bill may relate to “disability, race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,” among others, so long as the name is not offensive or requested for frivolous reasons.

Democratic supporters argue the bill is a measured expansion of civil rights.

“This bill’s needed because if transgender residents were never harassed, denied services, or mocked in official settings, additional clarification would be unnecessary,” said Democratic Sen. Chris Kolker, a co-sponsor. “The lived evidence shows that gaps persist.”

But Republicans and a handful of Democrats pushed back sharply, warning that the bill hands the state disturbing new authority over private beliefs, family decisions, and even basic speech.

“This bill risks transforming schools and courts into areas where the state overrides parental authority,” warned Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen (R). “We must not allow government to intrude into and fracture the trust between parents and children.”

Two Democrats — Sens. Marc Snyder and Kyle Mullica — crossed party lines to vote against the measure.

Conservative and faith-based groups have been vocal in their opposition, with many calling the law a coercive attempt to force ideological compliance. Joseph Backholm of the Family Research Council condemned the measure as a “legal requirement to lie.”

“The fixation with so-called deadnaming and misgendering is fundamentally about regulating speech so people aren’t allowed to say things you disagree with,” Backholm told The Washington Stand.

“They want to require people to refer to men as women and to women as men. This is not about tolerance — it’s about compelled speech rooted in a worldview that rejects biology.”

He likened the bill’s logic to “requiring people to refer to dogs as cats if their owner wants you to,” and said called it “insane and obviously bad policy.”

This bill is the latest in a string of progressive policies from the state, which has drawn national attention — and criticism — for increasingly aggressive legislation on abortion, gender identity, and environmental mandates.

Colorado’s Christian community mounted a significant response to the bill, including public rallies, church petitions, and outreach to lawmakers. Though they did not stop the bill’s passage, Backholm praised their efforts and urged continued engagement.

“The truth will ultimately prevail, because lies always produce bad results,” he said. “But the amount of damage done can be mitigated by an active church that provides an alternative to the insanity.”

If signed by Gov. Polis as expected, the Kelly Loving Act would become one of the most sweeping state-level laws in the U.S. codifying name and pronoun use under civil rights enforcement — setting up a likely legal showdown over First Amendment rights.

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