Model Legislation and the Diffusion of LGBTQ Policies
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Scott J. LaCombe
,
Margot Audero
Abstract
The past decade has seen a dramatic surge in state LGBTQ policymaking, rising from a few dozen policies a year to hundreds of expansive and restrictive proposals, raising questions about what drives this rapid spread. A potential explanation is the growing mobilization of pro- and anti-LGBTQ interest groups at the state level due to federal gridlock. We investigate this dynamic by identifying model legislation for two prominent policies: bans on gender-affirming care and conversion therapy. Using text analysis, we track how legislative text spreads across states. We find extensive text borrowing in both policy areas (both from interest groups and other states), with interest groups playing a more central role in the network supporting gender-affirming care bans. States are significantly more likely to borrow policy language from others with similar partisan control, ideology, and legislative professionalism. These findings suggest that ideology-driven interest group activity is shaping the structure and pace of policy diffusion. In the wake of the 2024 election, these dynamics are likely to continue, accelerating state-level polarization in LGBTQ rights and restrictions.
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Supplementary Material
This article contains supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/for-2025-2023).
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