A bill banning minors from receiving gender affirming care could become Georgia law in a few months.
The bill, SB 140, bars all minors from receiving sex reassignment surgeries or hormone replacement therapies, unless the treatment is unrelated to gender dysphoria or is deemed medically necessary by a physician. Treatments for intersex individuals and certain chromosomal abnormalities are excluded from the ban. Minors receiving care before July 1, 2023 may continue their gender affirming treatments under the bill.
House Rep. Josh Bonner, introduced the bill in the Georgia General Assembly. He said it protects minors from making naive, irreversible decisions.
SB 140 passed by a contentious 96-75 among House Representatives. Rep. Saira Draper condemned the bill for asking parents to prevent their children from becoming themselves.
Rep. Scott Holcomb spoke solemnly about the bill’s effect on the transgender community.
The House voted to send the bill immediately back to the Senate for final deliberations. If passed, institutions providing gender affirming care to minors are at risk of having their permits revoked.
