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Minnesota is making history.

On Sunday, May 18, Representative Liz Reyer, along with 34 co-sponsors, introduced groundbreaking legislation that would establish the first LGBTQIA2S+ and HIV Long-Term Care Bill of Rights in the nation to explicitly include protections for people receiving home and community-based services (HCBS). The next day, on Monday, May 19, Senator Scott Dibble, an openly gay legislator and longtime LGBTQ+ and HIV rights advocate, introduced the Senate version with four co-sponsors.

This bill is more than a policy proposal — it’s a reflection of a growing movement to ensure that LGBTQIA2S+ people and people living with HIV can age with dignity, safety, and respect, wherever they live and receive care.

Why Home-Based Care Matters

For LGBTQIA2S+ older people, the ability to receive care at home isn’t just a preference — it’s a lifeline.

Most LGBTQIA2S+ elders prefer to age at home, where they can live independently and maintain the community connections that support their health and well-being. Studies show that LGBTQIAS2+ older people experience better mental health and social outcomes with home-based care compared to institutional settings — where many fear discrimination, isolation, or being forced back into the closet.

Unfortunately, those fears are grounded in lived experiences. Long-term care facilities have a well-documented history of mistreatment toward LGBTQIA2S+ residents. For example, transgender people are misgendered or denied gender-affirming care. Same-sex couples may be separated or denied recognition. LGBTQIA2S+ identity is too often rendered invisible, or worse, targeted.

People aging with HIV face similar concerns. There is a long, painful history of HIV-related stigma and discrimination in long-term care, where people living with HIV have been shunned, denied appropriate medical attention, or treated with fear and ignorance. As POZ Magazine reported, one daughter had to approach multiple nursing homes before finding one that would admit her father, who was living with HIV. Stories like this highlight the very real fears that many older people with HIV have: that as they become more dependent on care, they may face discrimination, denial of services, or mistreatment simply because they are living with HIV.

This legislation directly responds to those realities — by ensuring that care, wherever it is delivered, must be respectful, affirming, and free from discrimination.

“Every Minnesotan — whether they live in a facility or receive care at home — deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. This bill makes it clear that individuals living with HIV or AIDS, as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community, will not be left behind as they age and seek care. Once again, Minnesota is leading by example,” said Representative Liz Reyer.

Terri L. Wilder, MSW, HIV and Aging Policy Advocate at SAGE, added:

“This is the first LGBTQIA2S+ and HIV long-term care bill of rights in the country that explicitly includes protections for people receiving home and community-based services. That’s historic — and essential. Many people live and age outside of facilities, and this legislation ensures they are not invisible in policy or practice.”

“As someone who has spent decades advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and for people living with HIV, I know how urgently we need policies that reflect the realities of aging in our communities,” said Senator Scott Dibble. “This bill isn’t just about protecting people from harm — it’s about affirming their right to be seen, respected, and supported in every setting, to live their lives with dignity. Minnesota has the opportunity to lead the nation in setting that standard.”

A National Model for Equity in Aging

At SAGE, we hear every day from LGBTQIA2S+ older people and people living with HIV who are concerned about their future in long-term care. They want to know they’ll be safe. They want to know they’ll be seen. And they want to know their identities and health histories won’t be used against them.

This bill offers a roadmap — not just for Minnesota, but for the entire country — on how we can build long-term care systems that honor dignity, choice, and respect for all.

We applaud Representative Liz Reyer, Senator Scott Dibble, and the other lawmakers who support this legislation and look forward to working alongside community leaders, advocates, and policymakers to ensure its passage.