Governor signs bill ensuring gender affirming care for transgender community
Gov. Sherrill signs off on a so-called shield law which protects patients coming to New Jersey looking for gender affirming care. The law also protects doctors providing such care.
With one quick signature from Gov. Mikie Sherrill during a bill signing, New Jersey is joining 16 other states in ensuring that members of the transgender community have access to the gender affirming health care they want.
Gov. Sherrill was outside the Planned Parenthood in Montclair while signing the law. Such care may range from mental health therapy and primary care to hormone therapy.
Sherrill says this new law will also keep other states where such care is banned, from criminally charging both doctors providing care and patients who may travel from other states for treatment.
“No licensing board can punish providers for delivering care and every patient can feel assured that their privacy is protected," said Gov. Sherrill.
The governor was joined by members of the trans community, who are celebrating this new law. One of those is Simone Kraus, with the Transgender Rights Coalition of New Jersey.
"This builds a firewall around New Jersey ensuring that our doctors and our medical providers can do their jobs without the fear of hostile out of state interference and ensure patients can seek and receive care. This is our line in the sand, healthcare is a human right and today New Jersey ensures it is safe legal and accessible for everyone," said Kraus.
Some Republican legislators in Washington have been critical of such healthcare. Some suggesting gender affirming care for minors including medical treatments could be irreversible and regrettable.
However, Sherrill and those on hand supporting this new law say that’s a family decision, not one to be made by politicians.
