LGBTQ+ Panic Defense Prohibition Act of 2025

This legislation, titled the LGBTQ+ Panic Defense Prohibition Act of 2025, aims to amend Title 18 of the United States Code by prohibiting the use of so-called "panic defenses" in federal criminal proceedings. These defenses attempt to excuse or justify violent crimes by claiming that a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression provoked the defendant's actions. Congress finds these defenses to be anachronistic, undermining the legitimacy of federal prosecutions and perpetuating prejudice against LGBTQ+ individuals. Specifically, the bill stipulates that no nonviolent sexual advance or perception of an individual's gender, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation may be used to excuse, justify, or mitigate the severity of an offense. However, it does allow for the admission of evidence regarding prior trauma to the defendant, in accordance with Federal Rules of Evidence, for similar purposes. Additionally, the Act requires the Attorney General to submit annual reports detailing federal prosecutions of capital and noncapital crimes committed against LGBTQ+ individuals that were motivated by the victim's gender, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation.