Maryland Trans Equity Act Makes Minnesota a Safe Haven for Transgender Families and the Children’s Firstborns are Suicidal
Last year, California led the nation on the issue, calling itself a “refuge” state for transgender youth and their families. Also this year, Oregon Democrats are proposing a constitutional amendment to protect care. Washington State and Vermont do not have the same bills.
The governor said at the rally last week that they were going to lead on the issue. Not only do you belong here, but you are needed here and that makes Minnesota the best place to live in the country.
The bill makes Minnesota a sanctuary state for so-called gender-affirming care, and also threatens the fundamental right of parenting, said Scott, who is a Republican.
“Frequently, we will talk about gender-affirming care as life-saving health care. And we’re not saying that to be dramatic,” says Dr. Angela Kade Goepferd, chief education officer and medical director of the Gender Health program at Children’s Minnesota. Kids who can’t access care are at higher risk of suicidality according to Kade Goepferd.
Republicans in the state legislature have said this kind of care can have long-lasting impacts. They were against extending legal protections to families travelling for gender care services.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, the Maryland Trans Equity Act broadens the kind of gender-affirming treatments covered under the state’s Medicaid plan, aligning it with care that private insurers offer.
The new law takes effect in April and means that Colorado won’t participate in out-of-state investigations into providers of abortion or gender-affirming care. Similar to the bill in Minnesota, that includes ignoring search warrants, arrests, subpoenas, summons, or extraditions to another state, as long as the activity took place in Colorado and there is no indication those involved broke Colorado law.
The idea to make Colorado a safe haven for trans people was first discussed by a lawmaker. But Democrats decided not to take up the issue until this year.
Proposed amendment to the Colorado State Law recognizing the rights of the LGBT and other minorities. Assemblywoman Cynthia Halversion voted against the bill
The measures to extend legal protections and expand insurance coverage faced lengthy hearings and floor debates, but Republicans didn’t have the votes to defeat them.
Cynthia Halversion is a Colorado Springs resident and she testified against the bill because she believes it opens the door to illegitimate practices and practitioners who will endanger the safety and protection of all children.
A law was signed by the Governor last month to add race, age, sex, height, weight, family status, and spouse to the list of protected categories.
“I am excited to put our state in the right spot in history, and I am happy to sign this bill,” she said as she prepared to sign the bill. State law didn’t include the rights of the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community until that move capped nearly 40 years of efforts.
“While I support the original intent to protect people from discrimination, I also believe that it is important to respect the beliefs of small business owners and their employees,” said state Rep. Rachelle Smit.
There was always a plan for gay rights to be part of the protections, according to the former congressman who wrote the original law.
“By signing this bill into law, Gov. Burgum has put the government in charge of making vital decisions traditionally reserved for parents in North Dakota,” Cody Schuler, the group’s advocacy manager, said in a statement. North Dakotans that are trans will not be stopped from doing so, but the ban will deny them critical support they need to grow up to be thriving trans adults.
The measure that Burgum signed Wednesday received veto-proof support from GOP lawmakers — though some Republicans did vote against it, alongside all Democrats.
The Grand Unified Treatment of Gender-Affirming Children in North Dakota and its Implications for the American Civil Liberties Union
The law still allows medication for early onset puberty and other rare circumstances with parental consent, and minors currently receiving gender-affirming care will be able to receive treatment.
“Going forward, thoughtful debate around these complex medical policies should demonstrate compassion and understanding for all North Dakota youth and their families,” he said.
It also enables prosecutors to charge a provider with a misdemeanor — up to 360 days in prison and $3,000 in fines — for giving gender-affirming medication, like puberty blockers, to a trans child.
The new law in North Dakota was denounced by the American Civil Liberties Union of North Dakota, as a huge government overreach and a violation of constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process.
The House and Senate both passed the trans athlete ban and it was signed into law by Burgum. The bill that Burgum vetoed was the one that would have imposed a ban on trans athletes.
While the FDA does not approve the medications for gender-questioning youth, they have been used off label for many years to treat many medical conditions. Doctors who treat transgender patients say those decades of use are proof the treatments are not experimental.
Research shows that young people who are forced to live as the sex they were assigned at birth can be at increased risk of suicide. The legislation that restricts gender-affirming care for children is being criticized as an attempt by conservatives to motivate their voting base.