Health Occupations - Cross-Sex Hormone Therapy for Minors
HB0679 would add a new section to Maryland’s Health Occupations law prohibiting licensed health care practitioners from prescribing, dispensing, or administering “cross-sex hormones,” or otherwise providing cross-sex hormone therapy, to a minor when the treatment is for a mental health diagnosis associated with gender nonconformity, including gender dysphoria. The bill defines cross-sex hormones broadly to include prescription hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, as well as hormone blockers, and defines cross-sex hormone therapy as treatment intended to develop secondary sex characteristics for a person transitioning from their sex assigned at birth to their experienced or expressed gender.
The bill also creates a criminal penalty for violations: a person who violates the section would be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, subject to imprisonment not exceeding life. The Department would be authorized to adopt regulations to implement the provision, and the act would take effect October 1, 2026.
If enacted, HB0679 would significantly alter Maryland health care regulation by restricting a category of gender-affirming medical treatment for minors and by creating a new felony offense tied to licensed practitioners’ conduct. It would affect physicians and other health care practitioners licensed under the Health Occupations Article, as well as minors seeking treatment for gender dysphoria or related diagnoses, and would add a new statutory prohibition in the Maryland Code.
Based on the bill text and the available context, the bill appears to be politically and socially contentious, with a clear policy focus on limiting cross-sex hormone therapy for minors. The sponsor list and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials suggest the bill is at an early stage and has not yet generated a documented committee record here. The subject matter indicates strong opposition and support are likely to be divided along lines of medical practice, youth health care, and gender identity policy.
The main point of contention is whether the state should prohibit licensed practitioners from providing cross-sex hormone therapy to minors when used in connection with gender dysphoria or other gender-nonconforming diagnoses. Supporters are likely to frame the bill as protecting minors and limiting irreversible medical interventions, while opponents are likely to argue that it interferes with medically accepted care, parental decision-making, and treatment for transgender youth. The severity of the proposed penalty—felony liability with potential life imprisonment—also stands out as a major source of controversy.