Bills Banning Gender-Affirming Care Pass Out Of Committee

A handful of bills banning gender affirming care are making their way through this legislative session. Two of those passed through the senate committee today; one banning gender affirming care for minors and the other prohibiting use of public funds for gender affirming care.

Hundreds of people flooded the capitol Monday protesting those bills ahead of Governor Stitt's State of the State address.

Governor Stitt called on legislators Monday to bring him a bill banning all gender affirming care for minors in the state, while hundreds of people gathered in the Capitol to protest these bills.

Today, Senate Bill 613 and Senate Bill 129 both passed through committee. 

"We are specifically here protecting children under the age of 18,” Senator Daniels said.

Senate Bill 613, authored by Republican Senator Julie Daniels, would prohibit gender affirming care including hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgeries on Oklahoma children under 18. Much of the conversation in the committee was coming from two democratic senators: Julia Kirt and Kay Floyd. 

"It is government intervention in the worst way,” Senator Kirt said.

Senators Kirt and Floyd argued that legislators should not be making decisions when it comes to a child's healthcare, but should instead be the child's parent or healthcare provider.

"Parents- as uncomfortable as it may be- have the right to make these decisions for their children, and this bill takes that away,” Senator Floyd said. 

"I also know I have heard from parents who are terrified that society and our public institutions will overly influence a child who may be confused about their gender,” Senator Daniels said.

Senate Bill 613 does have some specific exceptions including: behavioral health counseling, medication for depression and anxiety and medications for treating delayed puberty. All of those will still be legal in Oklahoma if the law is passed.

If a parent or health care provider violated this, they could be charged with a felony, up to $100,000 or 10 years in prison.

Parents could also file a civil suit against healthcare providers who perform gender affirming surgeries on their child. The child would also be able to file a civil suit against a healthcare provider up until they turn 45. 

The healthcare provider would also be in jeopardy of having their license revoked if they perform these surgeries.

Many people opposing this bill showed up to today's senate meeting, and many caused an uproar when Senator Daniels said "There is nothing in this bill targeting anyone."

Senator Daniels says she consulted with OU Health when writing the bill, and says gender affirming surgeries are not happening in Oklahoma right now. Instead, this is a cautious measure.

But Senators Kirt and Flloyd, the only no votes in today's committee, say this bill comes with a number of problems.

"We are doing a disservice to the individuals of Oklahoma and the individuals and families who need this care,” Senator Kirt said.

"For me the bottom line is we're interfering with a parents right to make medical decisions for their child and that's a very slippery slope,” Senator Floyd said.

Senate Bill 129, written by Republican Senator Bullard, was also passed this morning, prohibiting public funding from being used for gender affirming care.

"The legislature said loud and clear that we did not want any funding spent on sex transition procedures in Oklahoma,” Senator Daniels said.

"This is pretty much a companion bill to the one you just argued, so they go hand in hand,” Senator Bullard said.

Both bills will now head to the senate floor.