"California lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday that would expand the state's protections of transgender people by shielding their medical data from being shared with Republican-led states and law enforcement. Authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), Senate Bill 497 builds on California's "Transgender State of Refuge" law - also by Wiener - that passed in 2022 and guards transgender people from persecution from outside state laws and policies."
"SB 497 would bar health care providers from releasing a person's gender-affirming health care data via a subpoena or request based on another state's laws. The bill also would prevent law enforcement from using prescription drug data to target individuals for receiving or providing care. Democratic-led states, including California, have expanded the rights on LGBTQ+ people while Republican-led states and the Trump administration adopt laws and policies restricting their rights."
Senate Bill 497 expands California protections by shielding transgender individuals' gender-affirming medical records from being shared with other states and federal law enforcement absent a warrant. The law bars health care providers from complying with subpoenas or requests that rely on another state's anti-trans statutes and prevents law enforcement from using prescription drug data to identify patients or providers who receive or provide gender-affirming care. SB 497 builds on the 2022 Transgender State of Refuge statute and reflects a broader pattern where Democratic-led states expand LGBTQ+ rights while some Republican-led states and federal policies impose restrictions.
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