HB 155 – Consistent Definitions of Orientation, Gender Identity and Disability

House Bill 155 seems like a technical statutory language bill, and we tend not to cover those kinds of bills here since they are usually pro-forma and uncontroversial. However, this technical bill is important. The bill would update and then make uniform definitions used in the Delaware Code for sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability.

For example, the definition of sexual orientation is “exclusively” limited to heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality. This bill removes the word “exclusively,” so as to not limit sexual orientation to those three choices.

With respect to “gender identity,” the current definition is as follows:

“Gender identity” means a gender-related identity, appearance, expression or behavior of a person, regardless of the person’s assigned sex at birth.  Gender identity may be demonstrated by consistent and uniform assertion of the gender identity or any other evidence that the gender identity is sincerely held as part of a person’s core identity; provided, however, that gender identity shall not be asserted for any improper purpose.

That second sentence is being stricken in its entirety.

House Bill 155 Sponsors	Yes Votes	No Votes
K.Johnson, Baumbach, Griffith, Morrison, Osienski
Gay, Pinkney
Current Status — Out of Committee 4/20/21