(INDIANAPOLIS) - A new bill at the Statehouse would change how Indiana defines sex in law and how inmates are housed in state prisons. Indiana state senator Liz Brown is the bill's author.
The proposal would require prisons to house inmates based strictly on their biological sex at birth, not gender identity. That means transgender inmates would be placed in facilities that match their birth sex, regardless of how they identify or live.
The bill would also prevent transgender adults from changing the sex listed on their Indiana birth certificates.
Supporters say the bill is meant to protect privacy and safety in places like women's prisons. They argue that prisons should remain separated by biological sex and point to high rates of past sexual abuse among incarcerated women as a reason for keeping housing rules strict.
Opponents say the bill could make prison life more dangerous for transgender inmates. National studies show transgender people are more likely to be assaulted while incarcerated, and federal rules require prisons to consider individual safety risks when deciding where someone should be housed.
State records show that Indiana already houses inmates by sex at birth and that no transgender inmates have been moved to different facilities. Because of that, a state fiscal review found the bill would not change prison costs, though it would require some updates to birth certificate policies.
The proposal is expected to draw strong debate over prison safety, individual rights and how state law should define sex.