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S2953 AHE Statement 6/18/26
ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
SENATE, No.
2953
STATE
OF NEW JERSEY
DATED:
�JUNE
18, 2026
����� The Assembly Health Committee reports favorably Senate
Bill No. 2953.
����� Since January 2025, several federal executive orders
have been signed aiming to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs within
the federal government.� Subsequently, several federal agencies have taken
actions to comply with the executive orders, including the Defense Intelligence
Agency, which has ordered a pause of all events related to several special
observances.� These special observances include Martin Luther King, Jr.�s
Birthday, Black History Month, Women�s History Month, Holocaust Remembrance
Day, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Pride Month, Juneteenth,
Women�s Equality Day, National Hispanic Heritage Month, National Disability
Employment Awareness Month, and National American Indian Heritage Month.
����� These federal executive orders have also resulted in
the removal of certain terms related to gender identity.� The removal is
evidenced through actions taken by the federal government, such as updated
forms replacing the term �gender� with �sex,� websites related to diversity,
equity, and inclusion being shut down, and health resources for transgender
individuals being taken down from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention�s website.� In addition, since the Stonewall National Monument is
funded by the National Park Service, the monument�s website removed any
references to transgender or queer individuals.� Federally funded research
projects have also been required to pause while staff at the National Science
Foundation search the research projects for dozens of words that could violate
the executive orders, including �women,� �disability,� �bias,� �status,�
�trauma,� �Black,� �Hispanic,� �socioeconomic,� �ethnicity,� and �systemic.�
����� The State of New Jersey currently celebrates
commemorative days and months including, but not limited to, Black History
Month, Women�s History Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Asian Pacific American
Heritage Month, Juneteenth, Women�s Equality Day, Hispanic Heritage Month, and
Disability Employment Awareness Month.� It is appropriate for the State of New
Jersey to acknowledge the importance of promoting the principles of diversity,
equity, and inclusion by additionally commemorating �LGBTQIA+ Pride Month.�
����� Therefore, this bill designates the month of June of
each year as �LGBTQIA+ Pride Month� in New Jersey.� LGBTQIA+ individuals have
historically been persecuted by discriminatory laws and policies that denied
access to rights, programs, benefits, and services otherwise guaranteed to the
general population.� Commemorating �LGBTQIA+ Pride Month� is imperative to
acknowledge the contributions LGBTQIA+ individuals, including those who
identify as transgender or queer, have made and continue to make to strengthen
the fabric of American society, as well as to celebrate authenticity,
acceptance, inclusion, and love.
����� As reported by the committee, Senate Bill No. 2953 is
identical to Assembly Bill No. 5162, which was also reported by the committee
on this date.