Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Religious exemption language added to gender-affirming care bill

A religious exemption has been added to a bill that would guarantee health insurance coverage for gender-affirming care.

Sponsored by Rep. Leigh Finke (DFL-St. Paul), HF2607, as amended, would prohibit health plans from excluding coverage for medically necessary gender-affirming care. Medically necessary care consists of procedures and treatments that help restore or maintain a person’s health or prevent deterioration of a person’s condition.

Under the amended bill, organizations eligible for a religious exemption would have to be organized as a nonprofit religious entity or a closely held for-profit entity that has adopted a religious objection resolution.

The House Health Finance and Policy Committee laid the bill over Thursday for possible inclusion in a larger proposal. 

Organizations with the religious exemption would have to inform employees of their stance when the employee enrolls in its health plan. The health plan company would have to provide separate payments for any health benefits required to be covered under Minnesota statutes.

An amendment offered by Rep. Danny Nadeau (R-Rogers) that would have articulated that de-transitioning is covered, failed on a party-line vote.

Several organizations submitted letters to the committee either in favor of, or against, the bill.

Finke said gender-affirming care is covered by Minnesota statute but she wants to ensure “all gaps are closed.”


Related Articles


Priority Dailies

Legislature — with budget incomplete — gavels out, prepares for special session
House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Republican Floor Leader Harry Niska speak with the media following the May 19 end of the regular legislative session. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) Some years, state legislative sessions surge to a climax on their final day, a flurry of activity providing a sustained adrenaline rush, culminating in smiles of satisfaction as...
Walz, lawmakers strike budget deal in session's final days
Gov. Tim Walz and three of four legislative leaders announce a bipartisan agreement on biennial budget targets during a May 15 press conference. (Photo by Andrew VonBank) With five days to go in the 2025 session, three of four legislative leaders announced a budget agreement Thursday that would sunset unemployment insurance for hourly school empl...