By Mara Silvers | Republican Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte on Friday signed a ban on gender-affirming medical treatments for transgender minors, making the state one of at least 11 that have passed similar laws this year.
Senate Bill 99, sponsored by Sen. John Fuller (R-Whitefish), is slated to take effect Oct. 1. If enacted, the new law will prohibit health care providers from providing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and a variety of surgeries to minors for the purposes of treating gender dysphoria.
The bill makes exceptions for people receiving any of the listed services for the purposes of treating specific disorders of sex development.
The policy is part of a nationwide Republican agenda to restrict transition-related health care for trans, nonbinary and two spirit people, most often applied specifically to minors.