Hochul Urged to Sign Trans Rights Bills, Highlighting Her Record on Trans Inmates

On Monday, community leaders and transgender rights advocates gathered at Rochester City Hall to mark Trans Advocacy Day and to urge Governor Kathy Hochul to sign legislation that would strengthen protections for transgender and gender-expressive individuals in New York.

The rally emphasized the need for clearer policies ensuring access to health care, privacy of medical information, and legal safeguards for those whose gender expression may put them at risk. Among the bills advocated were the Shield Act 2.0 (or Hospital Transparency Act) aimed at protecting those who provide or seek legally protected health-related activities from penalties imposed by jurisdictions outside of New York, and the Health Information Privacy Act, which would regulate how companies collect and share health data. Organizers framed these bills not as issues affecting only transgender people, but as protections with broad impact across many vulnerable communities.

Speakers at the event stressed human dignity and safety, arguing everyone deserves respect and that knowledge and transparency from health institutions are fundamental. The demonstration also included thanks to the Rochester City Council for formalizing a sanctuary city policy.

Hochul’s Past Stances and Policy Moves Regarding Trans Rights, Especially in Correctional Facilities, does not align with public opinion.

Beyond the rally, Governor Hochul has taken several notable actions over the past few years related to the rights of transgender people, particularly in prison settings:

In October 2021, Hochul and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an agreement to transfer women and trans-identified detainees from Rikers Island to two state-run correctional facilities (Bedford Hills and Taconic). This was part of efforts to address overcrowding, staffing problems, and safety issues on Rikers.

As part of that transfer agreement, those moving from Rikers would continue to receive hormone replacement therapy if they were already undergoing it.

In January 2022, Hochul proposed a policy directive in her budget plan that would allow people incarcerated in New York to request housing consistent with their gender identity rather than the sex assigned to them at birth. The policy was to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, taking into account safety, security, and health concerns. It also directed corrections officials to stop misgendering individuals, to allow gender-affirming undergarments or clothing, and ensure transgender inmates receive medical and mental health care aligned with their gender identity.

New York State’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) has adopted several policies allowing for gender-aligned housing placements. Transgender individuals have been moved from male to female facilities (and vice versa, in at least one case), and DOCCS policy provides for clothing and personal care items that match gender identity. They also allow inmates to request searches by officers of their identified gender, where feasible.

While Hochul’s actions reflect important progress, advocates say there are still outstanding concerns:

The proposed housing‐placement policy, though more inclusive, depends on individual assessments (“case by case”) and does not guarantee universal rights in all situations. Some activists argue for stronger, presumptive placement rules.

Consistency in access to gender-affirming care, trauma support, and respectful treatment across all facilities remains a concern, especially for trans and nonbinary individuals who are more vulnerable to harassment and violence in incarceration.

Some proposed bills (like those advocated at Trans Advocacy Day) aim to codify protections more comprehensively, including for health privacy, representation of gender expression and ensuring institutions outside of prisons also respect those policies.

Hochul Urged to Sign Trans Rights Bills, Highlighting Her Record on Trans Inmates