This analysis reflects the policy environment as of June Our newer tracker , provides a regularly updated overview of state policy restrictions on youth access to gender affirming care. Four states Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, and Arizona have recently enacted such restrictions though the AL, AR, and TX laws all have been temporarily blocked by court rulings and in , 15 states are considering 25 similar pieces of legislation.
At the same time, other states have adopted broad nondiscrimination health protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation. This analysis explores the current state and federal policy landscape regarding gender affirming services for youth and the implications of restrictive state laws.
Four states Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, and Arizona recently enacted laws or policies restricting youth access to gender affirming care and, in some cases, imposing penalties on adults facilitating access. Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas have been temporarily blocked from enforcing these laws and policies by court order.
In addition, since January 15 states introduced a total of 25 bills that would restrict access to gender-affirming care for youth.
Provisions in these bills varied considerably and include those that would:. OCR enforces each of these federal laws, and the guidance states that parents or caregivers who believe their child has been denied health care, including gender affirming care, and health care providers who believe they have been unlawfully restricted from providing such care, may file an administrative complaint for OCR to investigate. Most major U.
