Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea released the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing enforcement of the GOP ban on gender-affirming care for youth:

“Families should be able to access the medical care parents choose for their kids in consultation with their doctors.

“Idaho’s Republican lawmakers have once again inserted themselves into the exam room to block medical care with devastating impacts for patients, their families, and the broader healthcare system.

“I remain hopeful that the ban on gender-affirming care will be thrown out as unconstitutional, as a lower court found. It is unthinkable that Idaho providers now face up to a decade in prison for prescribing medications that are the standard of care endorsed by major medical associations.

“My heart goes out to the Idaho families most directly impacted by this ruling. We must recognize that laws attacking the LGTBQ+ community and our medical providers harm all Idahoans. Idaho is strongest when we live our values of being welcoming and kind. We all rely on doctors and nurses to be willing to work in our healthcare environment. The Republican supermajority is moving our state backward, and it will take many years to undo the damage.”