Bill would protect runaway youth seeking gender-affirming care
If a teenager runs away from home and ends up in a shelter, are shelter staff required to inform parents? In Washington state, the answer is yes.
But a bill now before the state Legislature would make a few exceptions to this rule, including if the child has run away to seek gender-affirming care.
RELATED: Trans patients often travel out of state, pay more for gender-affirming care, study finds
State Sen. Marko Liias (D-Everett) is one sponsor of SB 5599, which is currently working its way through the Senate Committee on Human Services. He says the measure would allow transgender kids who are not being supported at home to find safe accommodation.
“We know when people don’t have access to gender affirming care it leads to life-long challenges in terms of mental health," Liias said.
The bill has prompted considerable pushback as it is being discussed in Olympia this session. More than 4,500 people weighed in on the matter online, mostly in opposition, including parent Eric Pratt.
“I can imagine children running from another state to Washington with this idea that they are going to be cared for outside the parental guidance that is necessary for their own health care," Pratt argued.
Under the bill, parents would not be required to be informed of their runaway kids’ whereabouts if there is a "compelling reason." That includes the possibility of abuse, or if the minor is seeking "protected health services" including reproductive services or gender affirming care.
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Deborah Wang
Contributing Reporter, Editor, and Host
Deborah is a contributing reporter, editor and host at KUOW. Since joining the staff in 2005, Deborah has done everything from political reporting to podcast hosting and is now serving as Interim News Director. She is an award–winning radio and television journalist whose career spans more than three decades.
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