St. Paul, MN - This morning, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed House File 146, the “Trans Refuge” bill. The legislation prevents out-of-state laws from interfering in the practice of gender-affirming health care in Minnesota. State Representative Brad Tabke (DFL - Shakopee), a co-author of the bill, voted in favor of the legislation that passed on a vote of 68-62.
“Minnesota prides itself on providing world-class health care, but as extreme anti-trans legislation appears in numerous states, including our neighbors, Minnesota must also become a safe harbor for those seeking gender-affirming care,” said Rep. Tabke. “We shouldn’t play politics when it comes to the health care people need.”
Legislators in at least 24 states have introduced legislation that would restrict or outright prohibit trans youth from receiving gender-affirming care, a wide range of social and medical interventions to affirm one’s internal gender identity that may include puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, voice therapy, and surgical interventions. Governors in eight of those states – Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Utah, and South Dakota – have signed such restrictions into law.
Gender-affirming care is recognized as safe, evidence-based, and medically necessary by the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the Endocrine Society, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, the American Psychiatric Association, and the United States Department of Health & Human Services.
Research indicates that withholding or delaying gender-affirming care can have dramatic impacts on the mental health of individuals who need it; trans and gender-expansive people who lack access to this care face higher rates of depression, suicide, and substance abuse, while those who receive care have dramatically improved health outcomes.
The companion legislation is currently moving through the committee process in the Minnesota Senate. Video of today’s floor debate can be found on the House Public Information YouTube channel.
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