As of April 2026, 11 U.S. states have enacted conscientious objection laws, allowing health care providers to refuse to treat LGBTQ+ patients based on personal or religious beliefs. LGBQ+ adults in affected states were 71% more likely to report being in fair or poor health after the laws passed, compared to those in states without the laws. Nathaniel Tran and Periwinkle Seljord-Solberg analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention see how the conscientious objection laws may impact the LGBTQ+ community in those states.
On May 7th, NYU Langone hospital system received a grand jury subpoena from federal prosecutors in Texas. The prosecutors are seeking information on patients under 18 who gender-affirming care from 2020 to 2026, as well as the names of the providers. It is the first hospital system to publicly acknowledge receiving a subpoena for such records as part of a federal criminal investigation. The hospital is currently deciding how to respond.
