New Hampshire enacted HB619 barring genital gender-reassignment surgery on minors
On July 19, 2024, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed HB619 (Chapter 213) into law, barring physicians from performing genital gender-reassignment surgery on anyone under 18 in the state and prohibiting referrals to out-of-state providers for the same procedures. The law classifies violations as unprofessional conduct subject to medical-board discipline and creates a private right of action allowing an affected minor or their parent to sue the treating physician, with carve-outs for reconstructive procedures, disorders of sex development, and male circumcision. It took effect January 1, 2025.
Actors
On July 19, 2024, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed House Bill 619, "To require a person to attain the age of majority for genital gender reassignment surgery," into law as Chapter 213. The New Hampshire General Court had passed the measure earlier in the session, with the House approving it 199-175 on January 4, 2024.
HB619 bars any physician from performing genital gender-reassignment surgery — including vaginoplasty, phalloplasty, and metoidioplasty, and procedures that remove non-malignant genitalia — on a person under 18 in New Hampshire, and prohibits referring a minor out of state for the same procedures. The statute makes a violation unprofessional conduct subject to medical-board discipline and creates a private right of action allowing an affected minor or their parent to bring suit against the treating physician for damages and injunctive relief. It carves out reconstructive surgery for malformation, malignancy, injury, or disease, procedures for minors with disorders of sex development, and male circumcision.
The prohibition reaches only genital surgery; hormones and puberty blockers were addressed separately by later New Hampshire legislation. The law took effect January 1, 2025.
Why we recorded this
Anti-discrimination and medical-autonomy norms hold that the state should not single out transgender minors for a categorical bar on a class of medical care that remains available to others. New Hampshire wrote that exclusion into statute: HB619 prohibits genital gender-reassignment surgery only when sought as gender-affirming care for a minor, while expressly permitting anatomically comparable procedures for other diagnoses, and enforces the prohibition through licensing discipline and a private right of action against the treating physician. Recording the enactment documents how a discriminatory line was drawn through the state's medical code.
Sources
- New Hampshire HB619 (2024) — enrolled bill text, Chapter 213 — New Hampshire General Court (via LegiScan) primary accessed July 15, 2026
- Sununu signs bills limiting transgender youth rights on sports, surgeries — New Hampshire Bulletin investigative accessed July 15, 2026
- New Hampshire governor signs bill banning transgender girls from female sports — JURIST investigative accessed July 15, 2026
- NH House passes bill to ban gender-affirming care for minors, sending bill to Senate — New Hampshire Bulletin secondary accessed July 15, 2026
See also
- New Hampshire enacted HB1205 barring transgender girls from girls' school sports in grades 5-12
- New Hampshire Gov. Sununu signed HB 1312, mandating LGBTQ+ curriculum notice and parental disclosure of students' gender identity
- New Hampshire Gov. Craig Benson signed SB 427, denying legal recognition to out-of-state same-sex marriages
- Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed the 'Given Name Act' restricting school use of students' chosen names and pronouns
- Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed HB122, barring K-12 teachers from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity with students
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