The US Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Tennessee’s law banning access to transgender medical care for minors could pave the way for a similar ban in Florida to go into effect.
The ruling doesn’t have any automatic impacts.
Florida’s ban remains on hold, as it was blocked by a federal court last summer.
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However, due to the stark similarities between Florida and Tennessee laws, it may not be long before Florida gets the green light.
Congressman Randy Fine (R-FL 6th District) sponsored the Sunshine State’s ban during his time in the Florida Legislature and applauded the recent Supreme Court ruling.
“The Supreme Court spoke yesterday, and they said mutilating children in the name of fake transgender science is not okay,” said Fine.
But Quinn Diaz with Equality Florida argued Florida’s law is different enough from Tennessee’s that there’s still a chance of keeping it off the books.
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“We do remain hopeful that decision-making in Florida about what types of care a young person can access will be restored to their families and their doctors. The people that care for them and love them,” said Diaz.
Florida’s law goes further than Tennessee’s by also prohibiting insurance companies that receive state funding from covering the treatments for adults.
Diaz noted the court’s reason for determining Florida’s law discriminated against transgender individuals was also different.
“Our law here in Florida was motivated by extreme and malicious anti-transgender discrimination from legislators and the executive branch. Those factors were not considered in the Tennessee case,” said Diaz.
Despite Diaz’s optimism, there is a push to restrict coverage for transgender medical care nationally.
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Fine noted under President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”, federal tax dollars couldn’t be used to help pay for gender transition treatments.
“If you want to do it as an adult, it’s your life. You want to screw it up, be my guest. Just don’t ask me or any other taxpayer to pay for it,” said Fine.
Florida is among 26 states that have passed laws restricting gender transition treatments for minors.
Also, on that list is Georgia, but unlike Florida, the Peach State’s law is currently in full effect.
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