A bill that forbids gender-affirming child care is being sent to the governor’s desk by Kansas lawmakers. It follows opponents’ Tuesday statements criticizing the bill.
The Kansas House passed the Help, Not Harm Act, Senate Bill 63, by a vote of 83 to 35 on Friday after the Senate passed it on Wednesday by a vote of 32 to 8.
Although he did not completely forbid it, President Donald Trump earlier this week signed an executive order opposing gender-affirming care.
Governor Laura Kelly will now receive the bill. Republicans think they have enough votes this year to overcome her veto of a similar bill from last year.
The Kansas measure forbids medical professionals from offering youngsters who choose to change from their biological sex gender transition care. Children could not receive hormone therapy, surgery, or puberty blockers from providers. They might face legal action if they did, as it would be deemed unprofessional behavior.
It would be illegal for state-funded institutions and state officials acting in their official roles to recommend medicine or surgery to a minor younger than 18.
Additionally, they were unable to encourage kids to experiment with social transitioning, such as altering their pronouns or attire.
There are some exclusions permitted under Senate Bill 63. If the child has a confirmed diagnosis of a sex development abnormality or precocious puberty, cross-sex hormones are accessible.
“Today, Kansas moved one step closer to protecting Kansas minors- joining 26 other states and multiple other countries who have already adopted similar common-sense protections,” Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins stated. “My hope is that, upon reviewing the newly emerging data and thought on these treatments in minor children, the Governor reverses course from last year’s veto and signs the Help Not Harm Act into law.”
The bill’s opponents claim that lawmakers have forsaken Kansas.
“They chose extremist beliefs and disinformation over the pleas of Kansas residents, educators, medical professionals, and transgender individuals. They chose to discriminate and hate, and transgender youth and their families will suffer because of it,” Michael Poppa, Mainstream Coalition executive director stated.
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“The bill that passed today was purposely broad and vague and is intended to do the most harm to the LGBTQ+ community. For our legislators who claim to want to protect children and support parental rights, they have done the exact opposite,” Laurel Burchfield, Mainstream Advocacy Director stated. “Parents are panicking right now and struggling to understand how to provide life-saving care for their children. They are being punished for nothing more than loving their children, and being willing to do whatever it takes to support them. Politicians should have no right to tell them how they can care for their kids, and all parents should be outraged right now at the dangerous precedent this sets.”
