LINCOLN- On Tuesday, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services revealed its proposed regulations for gender-affirming care for minors, which would replace the temporary guidelines enacted on October 1st. However, many have pointed out that the new regulations are virtually the same as the temporary ones, leaving transgender rights activists feeling cautiously optimistic.

A public hearing, during which the permanent regulations will be approved or denied, has been scheduled for November 28th at the Lancaster Event Center. The current temporary guidelines, which were proposed by Nebraska's Chief Medical Officer Timothy Tesmer and approved by Gov. Pillen on the same day, require patients under 19 to undergo at least 40 hours of therapy and wait another seven days after having their prescription approved before receiving any gender-affirming medication.

The newly proposed permanent guidelines maintain all of these requirements. Under a grandfather clause in LB574, however, the new regulations would only apply to patients who had not yet started taking medications like puberty blockers or hormone therapy prior to October 1st. LB574 outright banned any gender-affirming surgeries for Nebraskans under 19, but gave the DHHS regulatory power.

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