Dear Friend,
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming hormone therapy for young people can remain on the books. This decision will no doubt embolden politicians in hostile states trying to ban transgender health care, abortion, and more.
The ruling doesn’t affect New York’s strong protections for trans people and their right to access gender-affirming care in the state. But New York must do more. Right now, three bills awaiting Gov. Hochul’s signature — Shield Law 2.0, the New York Health Information Privacy Act, and Hospital Transparency Act — would help ensure gender-affirming care remains available and accessible in New York. American Atheists has been working tirelessly since the beginning to enact the Hospital Transparency Act while also collaborating with our coalition partners more broadly to protect gender-affirming and other health care in New York.
These bills work together to protect gender-affirming care providers from attacks by the Trump Administration and other states; ensure patients have the ability to make informed decisions about where to seek health care; and protect personal health data — including data gathered by fitness apps, phone records, search engines, and period trackers — from being handed over to states hostile to gender-affirming care and reproductive rights.
Despite the incredibly important protections these bills would provide New Yorkers, Governor Hochul has threatened to veto at least two and has so far refused to sign the third.
The New York Health Information Privacy Act will give New Yorkers more control over their electronic health information, like Fitbit, smartwatch, and period tracking app data, and make it harder for hostile states or the federal government to use personal data to investigate, prosecute, or punish people who seek, provide, or support access to reproductive health care and gender-affirming care in New York.
Shield Law 2.0 will strengthen, and fill gaps in, New York’s existing shield laws to ensure that New York will not be complicit in hostile states’ and the Trump Administration’s efforts to investigate, prosecute, or punish those who seek, provide, or support reproductive health care and gender-affirming care.
The Hospital Transparency Act will give New Yorkers the tools to find out whether the hospital in their area provides the care they need and will assist the state in identifying care deserts where particular types of health care are completely unavailable, laying the groundwork to ensure all New Yorkers can receive comprehensive health care regardless of their zip code
To contact Governor Hochul, please copy the following message and paste it into the Governor’s contact form here or feel free to draft your own message to let Governor Hochul know you support these bills
Subject: New York patients deserve protection!
Dear Governor Hochul:
The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming hormone therapy for young people can remain on the books. This decision will no doubt embolden politicians trying to ban transgender health care, abortion, and more.
To support trans people, and their right to access gender-affirming care in New York, there is more you must do.
There are three bills awaiting your signature that would help ensure gender-affirming care remains available and accessible in New York. I’m writing to ask you to sign these bills without delay.
Protect Health Data
Getting and providing health care leaves a digital trail. It is collected through fitness apps, phone records, search engines, period tracking apps, and the many other tools that are part of our modern life. You might think this deeply personal information is protected, but the scary truth is it’s not.
By signing the New York Health Information Privacy Act (S.929/A.2141), you can help ensure that New Yorkers – not big tech companies, bad actors, or government entities – have control over our most intimate information.
Shield Gender-Affirming Care Providers
The Supreme Court decision will encourage Trump and hostile state legislators to go after people who seek, provide, and help people access gender-affirming care. While New York has a shield law that aims to protect providers, patients, seekers, and their supporters from these attacks, there are still gaps in these protections that unfriendly governments could take advantage of.
You must close those gaps in our current shield laws by signing legislation (S.4914-B/A.5480-C) that ensures people can continue to access and provide gender-affirming care in New York.
Promote Hospital Transparency
A bill passed by the state legislature (S.3486/A.3862) would give patients the ability to see whether the hospital in their area provides the care – including gender-affirming care – they need. It would also lay the groundwork to improve the accessibility of gender-affirming care statewide.
Signing this bill into law takes on new urgency as hospitals began denying gender-affirming care in response to Trump’s anti-trans executive orders, and community members, families, and advocates are desperately seeking the information this legislation would provide.
Access to gender-affirming care can be lifesaving. Please continue to defend the rights of transgender people to live authentically and free from harm and discrimination by signing these three bills today.
Sincerely,
Victoria Anderson
State Policy Specialist
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