Utah bans gender-affirming care for trans minors

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed a controversial bill Saturday that would ban gender-affirming health care and hormone therapy for transgender children and teenagers.

The big picture: The move follows similar legislation enacted in other GOP-led states amid a larger wave of anti-trans bills, many of which target youth.

Details: SB 16, introduced by state Sen. Michael Kennedy (R-Alpine), a family physician, would prohibit sex reassignment surgeries and puberty blockers for minors.

The bill is more restrictive than the one Kennedy first introduced on the Senate floor last week. The initial bill included a moratorium on puberty blockers.

On Friday, Kennedy said there was a high likelihood the bill would face a legal challenge.

"I'm afraid that I'm going to be working on this for the rest of my political life," he said on the Senate floor before it passed.