Relating to actions relative to treatment or intervention regarding the discordance between a minor’s sex and gender identity, and providing penalties

This bill includes provisions relating to practices undertaken to cause a minor to physically appear more like a person of the opposite sex and less like the minor’s own sex, or to conform to a gender identity incongruent with the minor’s sex. The bill contains findings regarding the harms and ineffectiveness of such practices and contains definitions used in the bill. The bill makes it unlawful for a medical professional to perform interventions or surgical procedures specified in the bill on a minor, and subjects a medical professional to disciplinary action and civil penalties for providing the prohibited treatments to or performing surgical procedures on a minor, unless the treatment occurs based on the good faith medical decision of a parent of a minor born with a medically verifiable genetic disorder of sexual development. The bill protects the freedom of members of a profession to provide counseling, in accordance with the bill and consistent with the individual’s conscience or religious belief. The bill includes protections for parents to decline treatment, activity, or mental health care services intended to form their minor child’s conception of sex and gender or to treat gender dysphoria or gender nonconformity. The bill also requires government agencies and political subdivisions to inform parents of any information relevant to the physical or mental health of a minor exhibiting symptoms of gender dysphoria, gender nonconformity, or otherwise demonstrating a desire to be treated in a manner incongruent with the minor’s sex. The bill includes protections for individuals who provide information relating to violations of the bill. The bill provides a private right of action against any person who violates the bill, and creates a statute of limitations for minors to bring certain claims within years of reaching majority. The bill preempts political subdivisions from having measures in place that interfere with the professional conduct and judgment of a mental health professional undertaken under the bill within a course of treatment or communication; provides for injunctive relief for a violation of this provision; and provides that sovereign and governmental immunity from a civil action or from liability do not apply to violations of the bill.