Ban on public funds for KY prisoners' transgender care becomes law without Beshear's signature
Supporters of LGBTQ+ rights gather in the Capitol of the 2025 Fairness Rally, March 11, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd)
FRANKFORT — Gov. Andy Beshear is letting a bill that would take 67 transgender inmates off hormone therapy and block public funds for inmates' elective medical treatments become law — without his signature.
Advocates have called Senate Bill 2 anti-trans legislation and criticized its high priority for the General Assembly this session.
The bill says public dollars cannot be used to fund a 'cosmetic service or elective procedure' for Kentucky inmates. It also says if a health care provider documents that ending a treatment would harm an inmate, use of the drug or hormone may be 'systematically reduced and eliminated.'
In a brief statement, Beshear's office said he 'does not believe that the state should pay for gender reassignment surgeries for convicted felons, as this would mean those in prison would receive better access to medical care than a law-abiding citizen. However, courts have ruled that federal law may require some nonsurgical care.'
KY Senate votes to stop state funding of hormone treatments for transgender prisoners
Some who argued against the bill cited the protections against cruel and unusual punishments guaranteed by the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the potential cost of lawsuits based on constitutional claims.
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