Governor vetoes prohibition of transgender youth treatment

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. » Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Monday vetoed legislation that would have made his state the first to ban gender confirming treatments or surgery for transgender youth.

The Republican governor rejected legislation that would have prohibited doctors from providing gender confirming hormone treatment, puberty blockers or surgery to anyone under 18 years old, or from referring them to other providers for the treatment.

The Republican Legislature could still override the governor’s veto. Hutchinson said he believed an override was likely.

Hutchinson’s veto follows pleas from pediatricians, social workers and the parents of transgender youth who said the measure would harm a community already at risk for depression and suicide. Hutchinson said he would have signed if it had just focused on gender confirming surgery. He noted it wouldn’t have exempted youth who are already undergoing treatment.