Idaho asks Supreme Court to let it enforce ban on transgender care
Idaho officials asked the Supreme Court to let the state enforce a strict ban on gender-affirming treatments for minors in an emergency request made public Monday by one of the groups involved in the case.
The law, signed by Republican Gov. Brad Little last year, makes it a felony for doctors to provide medical treatment to transgender minors such as puberty-blocking drugs, hormone therapy and certain surgeries. It also authorizes up to $5,000 in fines against medical professionals who provide that care.
A US District Court in Idaho temporarily blocked the law from taking effect late last year while the underlying case continues in federal court. The 9th US Court of Appeals upheld that decision in January.
More than 20 states have enacted laws banning gender-affirming care for minors, according to the Human Rights Campaign, though some of those laws have also been placed on hold by federal courts. The issue has generated considerable uncertainty for lower federal courts.
