Despite Opposition Across South Carolina, SC Legislature Passes Ban on Medically Necessary Healthcare for Trans Youth and Restricts Care for Some Adults
COLUMBIA, SC – Today House lawmakers voted to concur with the Senate version of H.4624, the Anti-Trans Healthcare Bill, and the bill is officially moving to Governor McMaster’s desk for his signature. If he signs it, it will go into effect immediately.
First and foremost, thank you. Extremist lawmakers have been trying to pass this bill for three years, and started the 2024 legislative session with an announcement that they were going to fast-track the bill, even hearing it in committee on the first day of session Your calls, your emails, and your tireless organizing in your community and at the State House stopped this bill from moving forward for years, and made it impossible for them to pass this before the end of the legislative session. Thank you so much for fighting for trans folks across South Carolina – even in grim moments like this, people like you have been an immense source of hope and inspiration for the whole Organizing Team, and trans folks across South Carolina.
This fight isn’t over until it’s over, and other Republican governors around the country have done the right thing and vetoed discriminatory bills like these to avoid cruelly targeting a small segment of the population. We’re at the last step of the legislative process, but we can still appeal to Gov. McMaster’s sense of justice and fairness, and demand he veto this bill to protect healthcare access in SC.
Realistically, we know this could move quickly, and we want to make sure folks are prepared for any outcome. So here are some valuable resources from partners in the SC United coalition – including Campaign for Southern Equality, We Are Family, Uplift Outreach Center, and Harriet Hancock Center to help with continuity of care if H. 4624 goes into effect this week.
If you’re a trans youth or family of a trans youth, CSE can help you find care with providers out-of-state – click here for information on the Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project in South Carolina.
Some trans adults who are insured through Medicaid or a state health insurance plan could also lose access to care or be faced with additional costs to receive care. Click here for more information on resources available for trans adults in South Carolina.
We’re so sorry again that this is moving forward. Please take care of yourselves this week, lean into your support networks however you can, and remember that you are supported and loved in every corner of South Carolina. Our community does not deserve these despicable attacks – but we are stronger than the extremists, we have the will of the people on our side, and we will get through this together.
We know that this law is unconstitutional and we'll be exploring every possible strategy to defeat it. If you will be impacted by H.4624 (meaning you are a trans person under 18 or a trans adult of any age insured by Medicaid or the state employee healthcare plan), please click here to share your story.
Advocates from the SC United for Justice & Equality coalition are available to speak with the media about the legislation and its damaging impact transgender South Carolinians.