Tracy Mumford

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From The New York Times, it's The Headlines.

I'm Tracy Mumford.

Today's Friday, February 20th.

Here's what we're covering.

In state houses across the country, The Times is tracking how Republican lawmakers are pushing a wave of hundreds of new bills aimed at limiting transgender rights.

The highly controversial transgender bathroom bill will now become a law in Kansas.

In Kansas this week, lawmakers passed a law allowing people to sue transgender individuals who use public bathrooms that don't match their sex assigned at birth.

Florida's workers should not be forced to choose between their conscience and their jobs.

Some Florida lawmakers are trying to ensure public employees cannot be required to use their coworkers' preferred pronouns.

House Bill 404, sex-designated housing amendments by representatives... And in Utah, bills are moving forward that would remove protections against discrimination in housing and employment for transgender people.

The moves are in line with the Trump administration's push at the national level to limit trans rights.

They also reflect a shift in focus.

While many of the restrictions and court fights in recent years have centered on minors, whether they can receive gender-affirming treatment or play on different sports teams, these new bills mostly apply to adults.

In some cases, they question whether, for the purposes of state law, a person can be trans at all.

The Kansas bill, for example, would also invalidate people's driver's licenses if they've ever changed their gender in the state's ID system.

Advocates pushing for these bills argue they are necessary to protect women and say they reject the idea of a trans identity, with one Utah lawmaker saying, quote, There is no such thing as gender.

It's a made-up word and term.

It's actually just two sexes.