approve adding the words "sexual orientation and gender identity or expression" to its state-based Constitution. Hate crime law Nevada law provides additional penalties for the commission of a crime because of certain actual or perceived characteristics of the victim. In 2001, Nevada amended its hate crime law to include sexual orientation, without addressing gender identity or expression. In 2011, Senator David Parks introduced S.B. 180 to add "gender identity or expression" to Nevada's hate crime law. One Democrat, John Lee, voted with the Republicans and the bill failed. In 2013, S.B. 139, which would add "gender identity or expression" to Nevada's hate crime law, was introduced by a bipartisan group and passed the Senate on a vote of 20–1. Senator Joe Hardy, the only vote against the legislation, later said that he should have voted in favor after talking with Senator Pat Spearman, the legislature's first out person of color, a pastor and military veteran. The legislation passed the Assembly on a vote of 30–11 on May 14. Governor Brian Sandoval signed the legislation on May 21, 2013, and the new law took effect on October 1, 2013. Adoption and parenting Same-sex relationships have not been a legal barrier to adoption or parenting in the state, though only since 2017 has state law reflected that same-sex couples have the same parental rights as heterosexual couples. Lesbian couples are allowed to access assisted reproduction services, such as in vitro fertilisation. State law recognizes the non-genetic, non-gestational mother as a legal parent to a child born via donor insemination, irrespective of the marital status of the parents. In addition, Nevada permits and recognizes gestational surrogacy arrangements. The state treats same-sex couples and different-sex couples equally under the same terms and conditions. Traditional surrogacy contracts are illegal regardless of sex or sexual orientation. In June 2021, a bill (AB115) passed the Nevada Legislature and the Governor of Nevada signed it into law effective immediately - to legally recognise more than two parents on birth certificates by a court order, allowing for example a surrogate and both intended parents to be listed or a couple and an ex-partner (regardless of marital status). Similar laws were implemented within California in 2013. Gay panic defense In May 2019, the Nevada Legislature passed a bill, by a vote of 36–3 in the Assembly and 19–2 in the Senate, to repeal the gay panic defense. On May 14,