The Alabama state House backed legislation on Thursday that would make it a criminal penalty for health care providers to offer transgender procedures to minors, Politico reported.
The bill, which passed the state Senate in February, makes sex reassignment surgery, distribution of puberty blockers and hormone therapy grounds for a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The proposal would also prohibit teachers and other school officials from shielding a student’s gender identity from a parent or guardian.
Republican Gov. Kay Ivey has not taken an official stance on the bill. If she signs it, Alabama will become the first state to criminalize the procedures.
The same day, Alabama lawmakers were set to approve a separate bill that prevents transgender students from using bathrooms or locker rooms that do not correspond with their biological gender. However, the bill was amended to add sections that mirror Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act at the last minute. That law bars discussions of LGBT issues in schools. It now returns to the House for final approval.
Proponents of the two bills have argued that transgender minors face long-term consequences from the radical procedures, not to mention future regrets, according to The Associated Press.
Democrat state Rep. Neil Rafferty, who is openly gay, was noticeably emotional when expressing his disapproval of the legislation.
“This is wrong,” Rafferty said. “Y’all sit there and campaign on family being the foundation of our nation ... but what this bill is doing is totally undermining that. It’s totally undermining family rights, health rights and access to health care.”
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