Florida's Board of Medicine and Board of Osteopathic Medicine on Friday approved a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth, a move urged by Gov. Ron DeSantis, reports Axios.
The decision, which would prohibit puberty blockers, hormones, cross-hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery for people under the age of 18, will now go through a weekslong approval process, which includes further public comment.
It will not apply to transgender youth already receiving treatment.
DeSantis, who is running for a second consecutive term, has been a vocal critic of gender-affirming health care for minors.
Nicole Parker, the director of transgender equality at Equality Florida, an LGBTQ political advocacy organization, in a statement said the board members who approved the rule have put "toxic politics over people's health and wellbeing."
"With young lives on the line, another state agency has placed the political ambitions of Ron DeSantis over its duty to protect Floridians," Parker said.
Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration in August created a rule that banned gender-affirming treatments such as hormone therapy and surgery.
A federal judge in October upheld the Medicaid ban, denying a preliminary injunction request from a coalition of transgender rights groups.