Lawmakers in Utah are considering a bill that would prohibit incarcerated transgender individuals from accessing gender-affirming care, such as hormone treatments or surgeries. The bill, known as HB252, has passed out of the House Judiciary Committee and is being debated by the full House. The proposed legislation, introduced by House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee, is similar to a law passed in Idaho that faced legal challenges for restricting access to gender-affirming medical care.
The move comes nearly a year after the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Utah for allegedly discriminating against a transgender woman in prison by providing inadequate and delayed medical care. The lawsuit highlighted the importance of gender-affirming care for transgender individuals and raised concerns about potential violations of the Eighth Amendment’s protections against “cruel and unusual punishment.” While the lawsuit is ongoing, the Trump administration’s recent executive order ending gender transition-related medical treatments has added another layer of complexity to the debate.
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