Gender Justice’s mission is to advance gender equity through the law. We do this by investing in legislation that advances:

Gender Equity

Paid Family and Medical Leave (HF 2/SF 2)

• Chief Authors: Rep. Ruth Richardson, Sen. Alice Mann
• This bill seeks to institute a statewide paid leave program that will keep Minnesotans healthy and advance economic security
• Most Minnesotans can’t take time to be with their newborn child, care for themselves if they get sick, or be with a loved one in the final weeks of their life
• Gender Justice is a member of the Paid Family Medical Leave Coalition

Salary History Ban (HF 1625/SF 1885)

• Chief Authors: Rep. Kaohly Vang Her, Sen. Robert Kupec
• This bill seeks to implement a statewide salary history ban.
• Basing salary for a new position from the candidate’s past salary, rather than a candidate’s qualifications, enables wage gaps to grow and persist throughout an employee’s career.

Modifications to the Women’s Economic Security Act (HF 1104/SF 1018)

• Chief Authors: Rep. Erin Koegel, Sen. Erin Maye Quade
• This bill strengthens gender equity in the workforce in Minnesota in a number of ways including improving workplace protections for pregnant and nursing employees.

Creation of Office for Missing and Murdered Black Women (HF 55 / SF 19)

• Chief Authors: Rep. Ruth Richardson, Sen. Bobby Joe Champion
• This bill creates an office for missing and murdered Black women and girls. In Minnesota, Black women are 3 times more likely to die from homicide and make up 40% of domestic violence cases in the state. We need more resources and research for prevention and support.

Trans Rights

Trans Refuge Bill (SF 63/HF 146)

• Chief Authors: Rep. Leigh Finke, Sen. Erin Maye Quade
• Description: This bill protects families seeking gender-affirming care in Minnesota from adverse child custody determinations by states that forbid such care, and protects health care providers from out-of-state litigation or being forced to participate in anti-trans child custody proceedings.

Conversion Therapy Ban (HF 16/SF 23)

• Chief Authors: Rep. Athena Hollins, Sen. Scott Dibble
• This bill would ban conversion therapy on children, vulnerable adults, and prohibit it being offered under medical assistance coverage; it will also eliminate the misrepresentation of treatments involved in conversion therapy.
• Conversion therapy is a harmful, traumatizing practice that has been widely discredited by medical and mental health organizations.

Combating Hate

Combating Hate Bill (HF 181/SF 691)

• Chief Authors: Rep. Samantha Vang, Sen. Zayanab Mohamed
• This bill would increase funding to the MN Department of Human Rights so they can gather information on bias and discrimination and create a response team informed by culturally specific support to communities.
• Gender Justice is a member of the Communities Combating Hate Coalition.

Reproductive Freedom

The Reproductive Freedom Codification Act (HF 91/SF 70)

• Chief Authors: Rep. Tina Liebling, Sen. Erin Maye Quade
• Repeals Minnesota’s abortion restriction laws, including the two-parent notification law for minors, the mandatory 24-hour delay on people seeking abortion, the requirement that providers recite a state-mandated script of misinformation about abortion to patients, the ban on advance practice non-physician clinicians providing abortion, and more.

The Reproductive Freedom Defense Act (HF 366/SF 165)

• Chief Authors: Rep. Esther Agbaje, Sen. Kelly Morrison
• Would enact strong protections for anyone in Minnesota seeking abortion care, as well as the providers who care for them — safeguarding all from prosecution under laws aimed at imposing other states’ restrictions on us.

Positive Pregnancies Support Act (HF 289 / SF 336)

• Chief Authors: Rep. Liz Olson, Sen. Mary Kunesh
• Bans state grant-recipient agencies from encouraging clients toward one pregnancy outcome over another, requires agencies to provide pregnant people with medically accurate information and services about abortion and pregnancy, and requires agencies to provide clients with resources and assistance applying for public health programs, domestic violence services and mental health counseling, in addition to other services already required.