Gender-affirming care bills stall in Albany as they await Gov. Hochul's signature

While New York City has quickly passed local laws protecting access to gender-affirming care, several statewide bills remain in limbo, despite clearing both chambers of the state Legislature.

The legislation is stalling in Albany as the Trump administration moves to roll back federal protections and resources for LGBTQ+ people. That includes attempts to pull federal funding from health institutions offering gender-affirming care, along with a new health department report questioning the benefits of such care for transgender youth. The U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors.

Both city and state lawmakers advanced legislation this year designed to safeguard access to care in New York. The City Council passed bills protecting medical institutions that provide gender-affirming services, and negotiated a budget with record funding for health care, housing and employment programs for trans New Yorkers.

But at least three state bills that expand protections for gender-affirming care have not yet been signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul, according to Allie Bohm, senior policy counsel at the nonprofit New York Civil Liberties Union.

One bill, sponsored by state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat representing Manhattan’s West Side, would shield people who receive or provide gender-affirming care in New York from legal consequences imposed by other states. It passed the state Assembly on June 16.

“That is a no-brainer,” Bohm said. “The governor should have signed it last month for Pride. She should have signed it the day that the Skrmetti [Supreme Court] decision came down, and she needs to sign it today.”

Another measure would require hospitals to publicly disclose whether they offer gender-affirming services. That bill passed the Assembly on June 11.

A third bill would prevent tech platforms and devices, like smartwatches and period tracking apps, from collecting or sharing health data that could identify someone as trans. It passed the Assembly on Jan. 22 and is intended to make it harder for states with anti-trans laws to obtain that information.

“We can make our state a place where trans people can see a future that we want people to live in and where they know their state has their backs,” Bohm added.

Gordon Tepper, a spokesperson for Hochul, said she would review the legislation. He declined further comment.

Hochul marched in New York City's Pride parade last month and has regularly affirmed her support for LGBTQ+ people. Her administration has also funded programs for trans New Yorkers and she previously signed legislation protecting gender-affirming care in 2022.

‘Certain bills take a long time to pass.’

The three unsigned bills are part of a broader package of gender-affirming care legislation introduced this year. Some bills remain stuck in committee but could advance when lawmakers return for a new session in January.

That includes a proposal from state Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal of Manhattan that would codify existing requirements for Medicaid and private insurers to cover gender-affirming care. Other measures would create a statewide care program and add legal protections for providers.

Some of the bills are being held back intentionally, Rosenthal said, as lawmakers wait to see how recent federal budget decisions under the Trump administration affect New York’s health care funding.

“Certain bills take a long time to pass for various reasons,” she said, noting some measures have taken more than a decade to become law.

Rosenthal added that lawmakers will revisit Medicaid policy and potential cuts next year.

Sen. Hoylman-Sigal said he was confident his shield bill would ultimately be signed, but emphasized that time is of the essence.

“It is crucial to remain vigilant and press the executive to get this bill signed as soon as possible,” he said.

A record-breaking 701 anti-trans bills were under consideration nationwide last year, according to the Trans Legislation Tracker, an independent research organization. That number has already been surpassed in 2025, with 948 bills under consideration and 118 passed.

Correction: A previous version of this story mischaracterized when some bills will be debated. Legislators said they plan to take up the measures when a new session starts in January.