The West Virginia GOP legislature recently voted on a bill banning evidence-based healthcare for transgender minors, passing the bill to Gov. Jim Justice (R). West Virginia is estimated to have more transgender youth per capita than any other state in the U.S. The bill would ban hormone therapy drugs for those under 18 and fully reversible medication that suspends puberty, allowing patients and parents time to make decisions about future hormone therapy. The addition that patients under 18 must have a diagnosis of severe gender dysphoria by at least two medical or mental health providers to gain access to medication therapy was made in the final week of its drafting. Since Gov. Justice has made no public stance on the subject, it is unclear if he will sign the bill into law.
