Two GOP congressmen have introduced legislation aimed at holding doctors who perform gender transition procedures on minors liable for their actions, says a story reported on KATV.com, among other news sites.
The two GOP lawmakers — Rep. Jim Banks (IN) and Sen. Tom Cotton (AR) — introduced the Protecting Minors from Medical Malpractice Act in their respective chambers.
If passed, the House and Senate bills would make doctors liable for any gender transition surgery on a minor that results in injury, whether physical, psychological, emotional, or physiological. Minors who believe they’ve been harmed would have up to 30 years from when they turn 18 to file a claim.
The House proposal would also strip federal funding from states that require healthcare professionals to provide gender transition procedures, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and gender reassignment surgeries.
A companion House bill, also sponsored by Banks, targets another issue related to gender transitioning for minors: parental consent.
If passed, the Empower Parents to Protect Their Kids Act of 2022 would deny federal funding to any elementary and secondary schools that initiate a minor’s gender transition without first securing parental consent. (Last October, Cotton released a similar bill in the Senate.)
The content contained in this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reliance on any information provided in this article is solely at your own risk.
Wayne J. Guglielmo, MA, is an independent journalist based in Mahwah, New Jersey.
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