New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed an order Tuesday aimed at protecting gender-affirming care, with the Democrat declaring his state a “safe haven” for transgender people.
Executive Order No. 326 grants protection to anyone providing or receiving gender-affirming care, and prohibits health insurers from denying or limiting coverage for services, including gender-affirming care, due to a person’s gender identity or expression.
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There are over 30,000 transgender adults residing in New Jersey, with an estimated 1.4 million transgender adults in the U.S. overall, according to the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Referring to LGBTQ+ as well as intersex and asexual people, the executive order says, “It is in the public interest of the State to foster a safe and affirming healthcare environment in New Jersey and ensure that members of the LGBTQIA+ community present in New Jersey, including transgender and non-binary youth, enjoy equal access to quality health care services.”
Under the order, protection also extends to people from out of state who travel to New Jersey for gender-affirming care, as it prohibits the extradition of anyone providing, receiving or facilitating these health services.
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New Jersey departments and agencies are barred from cooperating with interstate investigations attempting to hold someone liable for civil or criminal penalties related to legal gender-affirming care in the state.
The governor’s move comes as legislation sweeps the nation aiming to ban gender-affirming care and restrict LGBTQ+ rights and expression. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, there are currently 451 anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S. that seek to limit access to gender-affirming care, drag shows and more.
“In light of the growing threat against gender-affirming health care in other states,” the order says, “it is vital that New Jersey safeguard health care professionals and patients against potential repercussions resulting from providing, receiving, assisting in providing or receiving, seeking, or traveling to obtain gender-affirming health care services.”
Amid the torrent of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, transgender youth and adults have sought to travel to acquire lifesaving procedures that are banned where they live. New Jersey is now the second state in the U.S. to effectively serve as a sanctuary state for transgender people seeking care, following California.
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