A Christian college in Colorado is urging lawmakers to reject a controversial bill it says would punish parents and faith communities for living out biblical convictions. 

The Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University is speaking out against HB25-1312, a measure that would expand transgender protections and define certain parental behaviors—like referring to a child by their birth name—as discrimination.

The bill, which is meant to bolster protections for transgender people and gender-affirming care, passed in the Colorado House of Representatives on April 6, 2025 and now moves to the Senate. 

Known as the “Kelly Loving Act”, HB25-1312 would add custody considerations for judges to review, including parents using a child’s birth name instead of their new, self-declared name and “misgendering” along with several other trans-related measures.    

HB25-1312 amends the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act to define deadnaming and misgendering as discriminatory acts. 

 Opposition to the bill has been spearheaded by The Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University, and has urged the Colorado Senate to vote ‘No’ on the bill.

“HB25-1312 sets a dangerous precedent by punishing those who live out their biblical convictions,” said Greg Schaller, Centennial Institute director.

“Religious freedom doesn’t end when someone disagrees with Scripture. The sacred rights of conscience, which is fundamental to the United States Constitution, guarantees that the state cannot interfere with the rights of parents to raise their children in a manner consistent with their faith,” Schaller said.

“A government that claims to care for children while silencing parents and faith communities is not protecting liberty – it is directly violating it,” said Schaller. “Our laws must reflect eternal truths; not passing ideologies.”

Schaller’s detractors argue that a person’s view of “eternal truths” depends on their faith background, and even their denominational bias. 

They assert that the law must always be based on scientific and cultural consensus, which can be measured and verified, rather than religious subjectivity. Detractors of The Centennial Institute’s intervention have also argued that the Bible is silent on transgender issues, and that gender is a private matter of personal identity that ought to be respected.

The bill defines deadnaming as “to purposefully, and with the intent to disregard the individual’s gender identity or gender expression, refer to an individual by their birth name rather than their chosen name.” Another section of the bill requires that any school dress code or uniform “must not create or enforce any rules based on gender and must allow each student to abide by any variation of the dress code.” 

The bill also establishes a new requirement for public spaces, stating that it is a “discriminatory practice and unlawful to, with specific intent to discriminate, publish materials that deadname or misgender an individual.”

The “Kelly Loving Act,” has come along at a time when transgender protections are threatened by the Trump administration, which has issued orders to recognize male and female genders only and is attempting to block funding care for transgender children. 

Currently, two dozen states have banned minors from obtaining some or all aspects of medical care for transgender youths.

Rep. Brianna Titone, an Arvada Democrat and the Legislature’s only transgender member, said: “What’s happening at the federal level is casting a long shadow and we don’t know what the future holds. There is a real possibility that gender-affirming care could be at risk. Passing this bill is about telling Coloradans that no, we are not going to let that happen. It’s about taking control of what we can do to ensure that our friends and neighbors and family members continue to get the care they need regardless of what might happen in the future.”

Rep. Kyle Brown, a Louisville Democrat and the bill’s sponsor, said: “What can be created by rules can also be undone. This bill codifies existing standards into statute to provide long-term stability and clarity for patients.”

The fate of HB25-1312 will be determined by the state Senate.