Rep. Alice Wade, a Dover Democrat and transgender lawmaker, spoke out against House Bill 148 on March 20, 2025, a bill that sought to roll back certain anti-discrimination protections for transgender individuals. A week later, on March 27, Wade also voiced opposition to HB 377. (Photo by Ethan DeWitt/New Hampshire Bulletin)
The New Hampshire House has passed a bill that would prohibit transgender minors from receiving hormone therapy and puberty blockers, with the vote largely split along party lines.
House Bill 377 seeks to ban medical treatments for individuals under 18 aimed at altering their appearance or affirming their gender identity if it differs from their biological sex. This includes puberty-blocking medication and hormone therapy.
Democrats criticized the bill, calling it discriminatory and arguing that parents should have the right to decide their children’s medical care. Opponents highlighted that these medications would still be available for other medical conditions but not for gender affirmation, which they said unfairly targets transgender youth.
“The bill prevents a small group of minors from receiving care that their parents and medical providers deem necessary,” said Rep. Jessica LaMontagne, a Dover Democrat. “Contrary to claims made by some supporters, these drugs are used safely for other conditions, and their effects are reversible.”
Several Democratic representatives read testimonies from minors who had benefited from gender-affirming treatment, emphasizing the positive impact on their well-being.
Republicans, however, raised concerns about the risks and potential long-term effects of these medical procedures.
“These drugs are not entirely safe,” said Rep. Erica Layon, a Republican from Derry. “Anyone claiming otherwise is misleading parents, children, and the public.”
During the debate, many Republican legislators exited the chamber while Democrats voiced their opposition to the bill.
The legislation explicitly bans medical interventions that allow minors to identify with or live as a gender different from their biological sex. Healthcare providers who violate the law could face a Class B felony charge, carrying penalties of up to seven years in prison and a $4,000 fine.
However, the bill includes exceptions for minors with medically verified disorders of sex development. Additionally, it permits ongoing treatment for minors already receiving these therapies before the law takes effect if abruptly stopping would cause harm, though it mandates a gradual reduction in dosage.
If enacted, the law would take effect on January 1, 2026.
HB 377 builds upon legislation passed in 2024, which prohibited gender transition surgeries for minors in New Hampshire. Research suggests that such procedures are rare among minors. A 2025 Harvard study analyzing insurance claims from 2018 to 2022 found that only 0.1% of adolescents aged 8 to 17 had received puberty blockers or hormone therapy.
LaMontagne argued that the bill strips families of their right to make medical decisions, pointing out that gender-affirming treatments usually follow extensive therapy and discussions.
“This body just passed a parental rights bill affirming parents’ authority over their children’s healthcare,” she said. “So I ask those who supported that measure—do you believe parents know best, or not?”
Rep. Alice Wade, a transgender lawmaker from Dover, shared her personal experience, stating that gender-affirming care saved her life during a period of severe distress. While she transitioned after turning 18, she emphasized that other teenagers benefit from these treatments.
“Imagine receiving life-saving care, only to have someone with no experience take it away because they think they know better,” Wade said. “When people call for nuance and compromise, I agree—but my position is simple: I want access to healthcare, equal treatment, and to live my life without interference.”
However, Rep. Lisa Mazur, a Goffstown Republican, argued that minors lack the maturity to fully grasp the lifelong consequences of these treatments.
“Children cannot fully comprehend the permanent effects of altering their bodies with powerful medications,” Mazur said. “Gender dysphoria is real and painful, and those experiencing it deserve compassion—but pushing minors into irreversible medical treatments is not the solution.”
Layon added, “Parents can’t provide informed consent if they aren’t fully aware of the risks, and if they’re led to believe that the only alternative is their child’s death. That’s coercion, not consent.”
The bill passed with a vote of 197-167. Two Democrats, Reps. Dale Girard of Claremont and Jonah Wheeler of Peterborough, sided with Republicans in favor, while four Republicans—Reps. Nicholas Bridle of Hampton, David Nagel of Gilmanton, John Styek of Salem, and Susan Vandecasteele of Salem—joined Democrats in opposition. The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
