New Hampshire lawmakers gave final passage to a pair of bills Thursday that ban most gender-affirming care for transgender minors in the state.
One of the bills forbids doctors from administering puberty blockers or hormone treatments to patients younger than 18. Patients already receiving those treatments before the end of this year would still be allowed to continue.
The other bill prohibits gender-affirming chest surgeries for people before the age of 18.
The bills now pass to Governor Kelly Ayotte for her signature. A spokesperson for the governor did not say whether she planned to sign them.
State House Republicans made it a priority this legislative session to fight what they call “radical gender ideology."
It’s a continuation of a recent trend in Concord. Last year, lawmakers limited gender-affirming surgeries for minors and outlawed trans girls from competing in girls’ sports.
Most major medical societies in the U.S. support access to gender-affirming care for transgender youth. But Republican lawmakers — in New Hampshire and elsewhere — say those treatments are inappropriate for children and question their side effects.
