There’s been a lot of unpleasant legislative news about gender affirming care for youth lately. We’ve all felt it. Today, we want to share some GOOD NEWS.
Hawai’i Good News
Like so many other states, a bill was introduced in the Hawai’i legislature that would have banned gender affirming care for youth and criminalized providing it.
We reached out to the Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai’i for information, and we’re happy to report that Hawai’i bill HB891 was dead on arrival. More affirming bills have been introduced in the Hawai’i legislature this session than in any other in the State’s history.
Mahalo, Hawai’i for protecting youth access to gender affirming medical care!
Keep up to date with Hawai’i legislative news by following the Stonewall Caucus on Facebook and Instagram.
California Good News
This is from last year, but we think it needs to be shouted out:
California has a refuge bill on the books that protects families from prosecution if they travel to or move to California for gender affirming care. The law
- prohibits California medical personnel from releasing medical information to states that ban care (if the information is related to gender affirming care)
- prohibits enforcing parental custody court orders based on another state’s un-affirming laws, such as removing a child from a parent who is providing affirming care
- allows California courts to retain jurisdiction in custody battles based on disputes over gender affirming care.
“California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Thursday that aims to legally protect transgender youths and their parents if they flee conservative states that have restricted access to gender-affirming care.”
Washington Good News
Washington has two similar bills to California’s making its way through the legislature. These bills seek to protect both reproductive health care and gender affirming health care in Washington State.
WA HB 1469 is further along in the legislative process (has passed in committee) than WA SB 5489 (in committee.)
HB 1469 would protect medical information and communications from/about protected health care in WA state from out of state prosecution. Send a comment to your WA legislator on HB 1469.
Good News In Other States
Other good news:
Minnesota has a Safe State bill in the legislature that also has support from the Governor
Maryland is working to expand Medicaid coverage to include gender affirming care.
Illinois passed a law protecting reproductive and gender affirming care in January. A bill in the Illinois legislature similar to the shield law in California would protect providers and patients from prosecution brought by other states around gender affirming care.
Vermont also has a shield law working its way through the legislature.
Massachussetts passed a shield law in July.
(Information on Illinois, Vermont, and Massachussets from “Amid tidal wave of anti-trans legislation, Democratic states race to become refuges for gender-affirming care.”)
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