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Two Transgender Bills Counter Trump Orders
House members introduced two bills related to transgender rights to offset executive orders from the Trump administration. Trump's orders are in the courts but are still in effect according to the ACLU.
HB25-1309 affects gender affirming health care, requiring all Colorado insurers to provide this service when deemed medically necessary and removing testosterone from specified state monitoring programs to protect patient privacy. Insurance plans must cover hormone therapy, surgical procedures, mental and behavioral health support, and cosmetic and reconstructive surgery related to sex or gender.
HB25-1312, The Kelly Loving Act named after a murdered transgender woman, expands legal protections especially for minors. The focus is on family law, education, and public accommodations. The bill prohibits courts from using court orders from other states that would remove children from their parents due to helping the minors receive gender-affirming health care. Schools must use a child's chosen name and must not use dress codes to prevent students from dressing according to their self-decided identity. No deadnaming or misgendering may be done related to publishing materials for places of public accommodation.
President Trump's Executive Order 14168 mandates federal agencies recognize gender based on biological sex assigned at conception. This order effectively takes away federal recognition of transgender identities. It affects federal support of transgender health care and access to single-sex bathrooms, etc. Executive Order 14187 restricts gender-affirming care for minors under 19.
With these bills if they pass, Colorado is following in Maine's "see you in court" foot steps with the Trump administration.
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