Bill > HB1399

This bill prohibits licensed healthcare practitioners in Maryland from prescribing, dispensing, or administering cross-sex hormone therapy to minors for treating mental health diagnoses related to gender nonconformity, including gender dysphoria. The bill defines "cross-sex hormone" as prescription hormones like estrogen and testosterone, or hormone blockers, and "cross-sex hormone therapy" as a treatment used to develop secondary sex characteristics for an individual transitioning from their assigned sex at birth to their experienced or expressed gender. The legislation establishes severe legal consequences for healthcare providers who violate this prohibition, classifying such actions as a felony punishable by imprisonment up to life. The bill is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, and grants the relevant state department authority to develop regulations for implementing the law. By restricting hormone therapy for minors, the bill aims to prevent medical interventions for gender transition during adolescence, potentially impacting transgender youth's access to gender-affirming medical care.

Health and Social Services

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB1399?ys=2025RS