N.H. Governor Kelly Ayotte signs bills banning gender-affirming care for minors
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Violations of the new law will go before New Hampshire's board of medicine, which can take administrative disciplinary action.
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The new law also allows someone who was harmed by receiving this care to bring a lawsuit against the person who provided the care and violated the law.
The new ban comes as legislative efforts targeting transgender people have grown in recent years. Last year, New Hampshire lawmakers passed a bill banning gender-affirming genital surgeries for minors, even though providers have said such procedures are exceedingly rare in New Hampshire.
All of the other New England states have laws protecting access to gender-affirming care, according to the Movement Advancement Project, a Colorado-based think tank that promotes equality.
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Some New Hampshire families with transgender children have been warily watching as the bill advanced and, in some cases, have been
Republican lawmakers in New Hampshire who championed the ban were encouraged by a
But some attorneys say there are still avenues for pursuing a possible legal challenge of New Hampshire's new law. That could include a challenge based on the New Hampshire constitution, arguing that the intent of the law was to harm transgender people, or a challenge on the basis of parental rights, according to Chris Erchull, a senior staff attorney at GLAD law.
Ayotte also signed a second bill banning gender-affirming surgeries for minors.
The bill explicitly prohibits 'transgender chest surgery' for minors as part of a gender transition.
Violating the law is classified as unprofessional conduct and would be subject to discipline by the board of medicine.
The law also allows minors to sue for damages if they received such a treatment in violation of the law. And the attorney general can bring a suit to enforce compliance with the law.
Amanda Gokee can be reached at
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