Plain English Breakdown
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SF4243 • 2026
Gender-affirming medical care and certain counseling prohibition for minors in the state of Minnesota
Gender-affirming medical care and certain counseling prohibition for minors in the state of Minnesota
Children
Healthcare
Passed Legislature
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Bill History
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2026-03-09
House
Introduction and first reading
Official Summary Text
Gender-affirming medical care and certain counseling prohibition for minors in the state of Minnesota
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
A bill for an act relating to health; prohibiting gender-affirming medical care and certain counseling for minors in the state of Minnesota; establishing penalties for violations; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: Section 1. new text begin [144.041] PROHIBITING GENDER-AFFIRMING MEDICAL CARE AND CERTAIN COUNSELING. new text end new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end new text begin Short title. new text end new text begin This section may be cited as the "Zywiec Act." new text end new text begin Subd. 2. new text end new text begin Definitions. new text end new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given. new text end new text begin (b) "Minor" means an individual under 18 years of age. new text end new text begin (c) "Gender-affirming care" means any medical or surgical intervention, including but not limited to hormone therapy, puberty blockers, or gender reassignment surgery, intended to affirm an individual's perceived gender identity when it differs from their biological sex as determined at birth. new text end new text begin (d) "Health care provider" means any licensed physician, surgeon, nurse practitioner, or other individual authorized to provide medical care under the laws of Minnesota. new text end new text begin (e) "Biological sex" means the sex assigned at birth based on chromosomes, gonads, and genitalia. new text end new text begin (f) "Intersex condition" means a congenital condition in which an individual is born with the reproductive or sexual anatomy that does not fit typical definitions of male or female, including but not limited to ambiguous genitalia, as diagnosed by a licensed health care provider. new text end new text begin Subd. 3. new text end new text begin Prohibition of gender-affirming care and certain counseling for minors. new text end new text begin (a) No health care provider shall knowingly provide gender-affirming care to a minor within the state of Minnesota. new text end new text begin (b) No public funds, including medical assistance or other Minnesota health care programs, shall be used to provide gender-affirming care to a minor. new text end new text begin (c) This prohibition does not apply to: new text end new text begin (1) treatment of a minor for a diagnosed medical condition unrelated to gender identity, such as precocious puberty, when such treatment is deemed medically necessary by a licensed health care provider and approved by the minor's legal guardian; new text end new text begin (2) mental health counseling or therapy that does not involve medical or surgical intervention, provided that such counseling does not suggest, encourage, or affirm that the minor is any gender other than their biological sex as determined at birth; or new text end new text begin (3) surgical or medical interventions for a minor with an intersex condition, when such interventions are deemed medically necessary by a licensed health care provider to correct ambiguous genitalia or other physical anomalies directly related to the intersex condition, and are approved by the minor's legal guardian, provided that the intervention is not intended to affirm a gender identity differing from the minor's biological sex as determined by genetic or anatomical evidence. new text end new text begin Subd. 4. new text end new text begin Penalties. new text end new text begin (a) Any health care provider found in violation of subdivision 3, paragraph (a) or (c), clause (2), shall: new text end new text begin (1) be subject to a civil fine of not less than $500,000 per violation; new text end new text begin (2) have their professional license revoked by the Board of Medical Practice or relevant licensing authority; and new text end new text begin (3) be subject to imprisonment for a term of up to ten years. new text end new text begin (b) In addition to the penalties in paragraph (a), a health care provider shall be liable for civil action brought by the minor's legal guardian for damages, including emotional distress. new text end new text begin Subd. 5. new text end new text begin Enforcement. new text end new text begin (a) The Department of Health shall investigate alleged violations of this section. new text end new text begin (b) Citizens may report suspected violations to the Department of Health, which shall maintain a confidential reporting mechanism. new text end new text begin Subd. 6. new text end new text begin Severability. new text end new text begin If any provision of this section or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this section and the application of its provisions to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected. new text end new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2025. new text end