Trans babies? NJ law forces hospitals to ask ‘insane’ questions of newborns

❓ New Jersey law requires hospitals to give form to new parents

❓ Asks gender identity, sexual orientation of newborns

❓ Lawmaker calls it "completely and utterly insane"

Newborn babies can't hold up their heads — let alone talk — but it's New Jersey law to ask them their gender identity and sexual orientation.

There's a dedicated form given to every new parent at New Jersey hospitals to do just that.

Last week, the "Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Questionnaire" form at an Inspira Health hospital caught the attention of Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi, R-Bergen.

The form asks parents if their newborn baby is lesbian or gay, straight, bisexual, or questioning.

It also asks if their baby is male, female, transgender, genderqueer, or another gender not on the list.

"Medical providers, laboratories and hospitals are being forced to provide the questionnaire below to NEWBORN patients. While completely and utterly insane, these facilities are doing so to comply with another nonsensical law," Schepisi said on Facebook.

New Jersey law requires controversial form

The law (A4385/S2933) was passed by the Legislature in 2022. It requires hospitals "to collect race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity in a culturally competent and sensitive manner."

But it makes no mention of exemptions for age or other factors.

In a statement to NJ.com, Inspira spokesman Paul Simon said the hospital was following the law.

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“Inspira Health, along with every other acute care hospital in New Jersey, is required by New Jersey law and the State of New Jersey Department of Health to request their patients provide their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity,” Simon said.

New Jersey 101.5 has reached out to Inspira for more information.

Lawmaker seeks to change requirement

Schepisi, who said her office confirmed with Inspira that the form was real, said the law needs to change.

"You may not want to believe it’s real but it is, and on the upside at least you deep down now understand how absurd things have become in NJ," Schepisi said.

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The Republican said she would introduce a bill to rescind the requirement.

In the meantime, Schepisi said Inspira sought a waiver from the state to stop using the form.

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