State Lawmakers in Arkansas Vote to Ban Gender-Affirming Care for Trans Youth

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State senators in Arkansas passed a bill on March 29 banning gender-affirming medical care for trans youth, marking the first such bill to clear both chambers in any state.

The legislation, which already cleared the state’s House of Representatives by an overwhelming 70-22 margin, now heads to Governor Asa Hutchinson, who can either sign or veto the bill before next week.

Under HB1570, or the “Save Adolescents from Experimentation Act,” doctors are prohibited from providing gender transition-related medical care, including prescribing hormones to trans youth. Furthermore, it also allows health insurance companies to avoid covering individuals of any age who seek to receive gender-affirming care, according to the ACLU. The bill’s text repeatedly mentions eliminating genital reconstructive surgeries on minors, although these procedures are not performed on children. Transgender youth who are already receiving gender-affirming care in Arkansas would no longer have access to it.