In a sweeping move that has sent shockwaves through Kentucky’s LGBTQ+ community, Republican lawmakers have passed legislation protecting the discredited practice of conversion therapy while simultaneously restricting Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care. The bill, House Bill 495, was pushed through late Friday night, just under the deadline that allows the GOP-majority legislature to override any veto from Democratic Governor Andy Beshear.
A Step Backward for LGBTQ+ Rights
The bill, which was met with stark opposition from Democratic legislators and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, effectively undoes an executive order issued by Beshear in 2023 that prohibited tax dollars from funding conversion therapy for minors. Conversion therapy, widely condemned by major medical and psychological associations, has been linked to increased risks of depression, anxiety, and suicide among LGBTQ+ youth.
Gov. Beshear did not mince words when addressing the bill, calling conversion therapy a form of “torture” that should never be permitted, let alone protected. “Every major medical organization that has examined conversion therapy has discredited it,” Beshear stated. “It significantly increases the chances of suicide among our LGBTQ+ youth. These are children of God who deserve our protection, not state-sponsored harm.”
Despite these concerns, the bill passed both chambers by veto-proof margins, making it almost certain to become law even if Beshear formally rejects it. The legislature will reconvene in late March to address any vetoes, where Republicans have the votes to override any objections.
Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group based in Kentucky, called the passage of the bill “one of the most shameful moments in our state’s history.” Democratic Representative Lisa Willner also condemned the move, labeling conversion therapy as “discredited, dangerous, and suicide-promoting.”
Blocking Access to Gender-Affirming Care
In addition to reinstating conversion therapy protections, HB 495 includes provisions that ban Medicaid from covering gender-affirming health care for transgender Kentuckians. This means that individuals who rely on state-funded health care for hormone therapy, puberty blockers, or other medically necessary treatments could find themselves without access to life-saving care.
Republican lawmakers, including the bill’s lead sponsor Rep. David Hale, defended the measure as a way to ensure tax dollars are not spent on what they view as elective medical treatments. “Families should have access to the mental health care of their choice,” Hale stated, suggesting that the bill would protect mental health professionals who wish to provide conversion therapy.
However, medical experts and LGBTQ+ advocates vehemently disagree. Major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association, have long asserted that gender-affirming health care is medically necessary and beneficial for transgender individuals. Rep. Willner warned that blocking Medicaid funding could put those currently receiving treatment in medically dangerous situations, including severe mental health distress and withdrawal symptoms. “People are begging us for their lives,” she said during Friday’s debate. “We may be delivering a death sentence.”
Beshear echoed these concerns, saying that medical decisions should be left to doctors, not politicians. “We don’t determine someone’s health care based on the politics of the day,” he said.
Targeting Transgender Inmates
HB 495 wasn’t the only anti-trans legislation passed Friday night. The House also approved Senate Bill 2, which bans transgender inmates from receiving gender-affirming health care while incarcerated. The bill specifically prohibits the use of hormone treatments or gender confirmation surgeries in Kentucky prisons and jails, despite there being no evidence that such surgeries have ever been performed in state facilities.
Supporters of the bill claim it draws a clear distinction between necessary medical treatments and elective procedures. Rep. Kim Moser, a Republican from Taylor Mill, referred to gender-affirming care as a “personal choice” and a “cosmetic preference,” dismissing the concerns of medical professionals.
But LGBTQ+ advocates argue that stripping away medically necessary treatments from incarcerated transgender individuals is cruel and unconstitutional. Chris Hartman pointed out that denying prescribed medications under the guise of saving tax dollars amounts to targeted discrimination. “The state is denying transgender people basic medical care while funding other hormone therapies for non-transgender individuals. This is state-sponsored cruelty,” Hartman said.
A Legislative Attack on Kentucky’s Trans Community
The passage of these bills represents a disturbing escalation in the national fight over LGBTQ+ rights. Kentucky now joins a growing number of Republican-led states moving to restrict gender-affirming care, particularly for youth and marginalized populations.
Democratic lawmakers, many of whom fought against these measures until the last moments of the legislative session, lamented the misplaced priorities of the GOP-controlled legislature. Rep. Sarah Stalker criticized her colleagues for focusing their efforts on “targeting vulnerable populations instead of addressing core issues like jobs, health care, and affordable housing.”
As midnight approached on Friday, Democratic lawmakers made last-ditch efforts to halt the legislation, imploring their Republican colleagues to reconsider. Rep. Adam Moore accused the GOP of trampling on individual liberty. “You run on small government and individual freedom,” he said. “Nothing tramples on that more than saying someone can’t have medication prescribed by their doctor.”
The Bottom Line
With both bills heading to Gov. Beshear’s desk, all eyes are on his response. While he has strongly condemned the legislation, his vetoes will likely be overridden when lawmakers return in late March.
For Kentucky’s transgender residents, their families, and allies, the fight is far from over. LGBTQ+ organizations are already gearing up for legal challenges, and national advocacy groups have vowed to support trans Kentuckians in the wake of these harmful policies.
Lexington Councilwoman Emma Curtis, who is openly transgender, summarized the devastating impact of the legislation: “As a trans Kentuckian whose life was saved by gender-affirming care that I could not have accessed without Medicaid, my heart breaks for the thousands who won’t be afforded that same basic right.”
As the battle over trans rights continues, Kentucky’s LGBTQ+ community remains resilient, determined to fight back against policies that threaten their dignity, health, and lives. The future of trans rights in Kentucky may be uncertain, but the voices of those impacted will not be silenced.
