State Laws

Whether you’re lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or straight-supportive, your state’s laws probably have a major impact on your life. State laws govern everything from the legal status of relationships between same-sex partners to the ability of transgender people to list their correct gender identity on their birth certificates. The Human Rights Campaign works with state leaders to advance the rights of LGBT people across the nation, from Alabama to Wyoming.

Here you can learn about the current laws affecting LGBT issues in your state, as well as state legislation — upcoming bills that could change the way you live. You can also learn more about what’s going on in your state and find out about local news, elections and volunteer opportunities.

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State Laws can be filtered by state or you can view the full list of Laws by selecting "All State Laws."

Tennessee Non-Discrimination Law

Tennessee law does not address discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

Tennessee School Laws

Tennessee law does not explicitly address school issues relating to sexual orientation or gender identity.

Tennessee Sodomy Law

The Tennessee sodomy law was struck down in 1996.

Tennessee Surrogacy Law

Tennessee law appears to give surrogacy agreements legal consequence, but the law claims neither to approve nor forbid these agreements. It seems unlikely that the law will look favorably on a surrogacy agreement involving lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) individuals because “surrogate birth” is defined by statute to occur only when the surrogate is gestating a fetus for a married couple.

Texas Adoption Law

Texas Birth Certificate Law: Gender Identity Issues

Texas permits post-operative transsexuals to amend their sex on their birth certificates.

Texas Custody and Visitation Law

Courts have used a parent’s sexual orientation to deny, restrict or modify custody and visitation. There have been no cases dealing with transgender parents. It is unclear whether a same-sex co-parent could be granted custody or visitation.