Minnesota Dem lawmakers bring bill to force foster parents to trans kids in their care

The bill would create a "foster youth bill of rights" in Minnesota. The legislation includes a section regarding "sexual orientation and gender identity," which states that "while in foster care, foster youth have rights regarding sexual orientation and gender identity."

The bill would require that a foster youth’s "sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression be affirmed and supported," including the "right for the foster youth to express themselves in the way the foster youth decides" such as hair styles, makeup, "chosen pronouns, chosen name, and the way the foster youth dresses, including gender-affirming undergarments." Additionally, foster youth would have the "right" to obtain "gender-affirming care including counseling, medication, and other supportive services."

Violations of the bill would be subject to court examination or an administrative review process. Courts would have the ability to "remedy" violations.

In the hearing on the bill, the legislation’s author, DFL Rep Jessica Hanson said that Minnesota was one of five states without a foster youth bill of rights, and said she hopes the bill would establish "a consolidated place to refer to so that [foster youth], and everyone, knows their rights while they are in care," per Alpha News.

Renee Carlson, the general counsel for True North Legal, testified against the gender identity portion of the bill. "We agree that every foster youth deserves a safe, loving home with safe, loving adults," she said, but argued that the language regarding gender identity "goes beyond addressing basic needs" and would "exclude qualified foster parents whose beliefs conflict with these mandates."

Carlson said the bill would "exacerbate the problem of long wait times and no placement for these youth," noting that Minnesota has seen a sharp decline in foster families since 2018. The committee did not take up a vote on the bill during the hearing. Alpha News stated that the bill "was laid over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill."