Oregon Governor Kate Brown today signed HB 3041, which clarifies existing anti-discrimination protections by adding “gender identity” to all Oregon laws that use “sexual orientation” in the text of the law. HB 3041 was introduced at the request of Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle and Basic Rights Oregon.

“I want to commend the Oregon legislature for stepping up to its important role of ensuring safety and protection for all Oregonians, particularly our most vulnerable,” said Attorney General Rosenblum. “This law takes a big step in fighting transphobia and the epidemic of alienation, isolation and violence that many Oregonian’s experience.”

In 2019, the Attorney General’s Hate Crimes Task Force championed Senate Bill 577, which clarified for the first time that gender identity is a protected class in Oregon. Today’s legislation expands on that work by adopting throughout Oregon statutes that same definition of gender identity.

“Under the new law gender identity will be listed as a separate protected class in Oregon’s housing, employment, public accommodations, education, health care and law enforcement profiling laws,” said Attorney General Rosenblum. “I want to thank Basic Rights Oregon, BOLI Commissioner Val Hoyle, Representative Karin Power and Senator Kate Lieber for their partnership with the Oregon Department of Justice on this important equity-focused law reform.”

Any victim or witness of a bias incident or a hate crime can visit www.StandAgainstHate.Oregon.Gov or call Oregon DOJ’s Hate and Bias Hotline at 1-844-924-BIAS (2427), (711 for Oregon Relay) to report an incident and talk with trained staff.