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West Virginia Gov. Morrisey signed SB299, closing the suicide-risk exception in the state's ban on gender-affirming care for minors

On April 30, 2025, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed Senate Bill 299, which amends the state's 2023 ban on gender-affirming care for minors by removing its narrow exception permitting hormone therapy and puberty blockers for transgender minors at documented risk of self-harm. The law imposes a near-total ban on such treatment for minors, with carve-outs only for intersex conditions or patients already receiving care, and takes effect July 11, 2025.

Jurisdiction
West Virginia
Location
Charleston, West Virginia

Abuses documented

Actors

On April 30, 2025, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed Senate Bill 299 into law, eliminating the sole medical exception in the state's existing 2023 ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The 2023 statute had permitted hormone therapy and puberty blockers for minors diagnosed with severe gender dysphoria who were assessed to be at risk of self-harm or suicide; SB299 removes that exception, imposing a near-total ban on hormone treatment and pubertal modulation for minors statewide, with narrow carve-outs only for intersex conditions or patients already receiving treatment.

The bill passed the House of Delegates 86-12 and the Senate 32-2, and takes effect 90 days after passage, on July 11, 2025. Morrisey held a ceremonial signing for SB299 alongside a DEI-ban measure on May 7, 2025 in Hinton, West Virginia.

During legislative debate, medical professionals warned lawmakers that removing the exception would increase the risk of self-harm and suicide among transgender minors currently receiving care. The 2023 ban that SB299 amends had been signed by then-Gov. Jim Justice; the 2025 act is the operative restriction now foreclosing that avenue of care.

Why we recorded this

The civil-rights principle that government does not disadvantage people based on their identity extends to equal access to medical care. SB299 amends West Virginia's 2023 ban on gender-affirming care for minors by eliminating its sole medical exception, which had allowed hormone therapy and puberty blockers for transgender minors diagnosed with severe gender dysphoria and assessed at risk of self-harm. Converting a partial restriction into a near-total ban denies a class of minors access to prescribed medical treatment specifically because of their gender identity, eroding the norm that the state treats people equally regardless of who they are.

Sources

  1. SB299 (2025 Regular Session) — Bill Status and History — West Virginia Legislature primary accessed July 14, 2026
  2. Morrisey ceremoniously signs gender affirming care bill, DEI ban — West Virginia Watch secondary accessed July 14, 2026
  3. WV poised to nearly eliminate minors' access to gender-affirming care despite child suicide warning — West Virginia Watch secondary accessed July 14, 2026

See also