(The Center Square) – The North Carolina House of Representatives passed legislation prohibiting state dollars and public health care facilities for “gender transition procedures on minors.”
The contentious measure next goes to the Senate. If a vote of concurrence is favorable, the bill will go to the desk of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
One day after a federal judge struck down a similar Arkansas ban, Senate Bill 631 passed 66-47. No Democrats supported the bill, and no Republicans were against it.
With Republican three-fifths supermajorities in each chamber, the legislation is moving on a track of General Assembly passage, gubernatorial veto and the challenge of a veto override vote.
The proposed law would ban “a public healthcare facility, or a health care provider employed by or under contract with a public health care facility, to perform a surgical gender transition procedure on a minor or to provide or dispense puberty-blocking drugs or cross-sex hormones to a minor.”
The proposed effective date of the law is Oct. 1.
Equality NC tweeted, “The State House just passed SB 631, a cruel attack on gender-affirming care for trans youth.”
Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, immediately tweeted, “Vote on the likely unconstitutional bill (S631) to ban transgender care despite the overwhelming evidence that it saves lives. We are better than this. #Equality #NoHateInOurState.”
When the Health Committee in the House met, practicing physician and Rep. Timothy Reeder, R-Pitt, said the bill “seeks to limit children from life changing treatments before they’re able to consent to those treatments. We must consider these treatments are permanent and lead to permanent harm.”
He said there is a lack of medical evidence that gender transitions for minors provide long-term benefits, and said it’s “critical to know the impact on adults first” before expanding treatments to children.
