In 2023, a fifth of all state-level bills filed impacting the LGBTQ+ community came from Texas, according to a Human Rights Campaign analysis. Equality Texas tracked a record 141 such bills this year up from just 12 in 2015. Because the state does not readily compile these statistics, we relied on those advocacy groups’ data. Some policies passed and several others progressed substantially in the most recent legislative session. KXAN’s team of journalists – many LGBTQ+ staff members with unique, developed and inside perspectives providing nuance to our fair, rigorous and balanced reporting standards – produced multimedia stories for the “OutLaw” project, taking an in-depth look at what this trend could mean for Texas’ future.

This chart shows the number of bills aimed at restricting Texas’ LGBTQ+ community filed by state lawmakers in legislative sessions between 2015 and 2023. The number has surged in recent years, from 12 in 2015 to 141 in 2023. The verbiage is how Equality Texas categorizes bills. (Source: Equality Texas/Texas Legislature Online. KXAN Interactive/Christopher Adams)

Continuing Coverage

• KXAN Live: Investigators discuss OutLaw project
• Texas Public Radio: ‘Texas Matters’ discusses OutLaw (12:40)
• State of Texas: Politics program features OutLaw docuseries
• KUT/NPR: ‘Texas Standard’ discusses OutLaw findings