BOISE, Idaho — Idaho physicians who provide gender-affirming care to transgender minors could now face up to 10 years in prison.
Republican Gov. Brad Little on Tuesday signed into law House Bill 71, which makes it a felony to provide puberty blockers, hormone therapies and transition-related surgeries to minors. Idaho becomes the 10th state to ban gender-affirming care for youth and young adults, according to the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law.
“I recognize our society plays a role in protecting minors from surgeries or treatments that can irreversibly damage their healthy bodies,” Little said in a Tuesday letter to lawmakers. “However, as policymakers we should take great caution whenever we consider allowing the government to interfere with loving parents and their decisions about what is best for their children.”
