West Virginia Senate passes modified transgender care ban

West Virginia’s Republican supermajority Senate passed a bill Friday that would ban certain health care for transgender youth. The bill passed after approval of a significant change to add exceptions for young people at risk for self harm or suicide. The bill would outlaw those under 18 from being prescribed hormone therapy and fully reversible medication suspending the physical changes of puberty. The legislation also includes a ban on gender-affirming surgery for minors, something doctors emphasize does not happen in West Virginia. An approved change proposed by Republican Sen. Tom Takubo would allow young people to access puberty blockers and hormone therapy if they experience severe gender dysphoria under certain circumstances.