Indiana Republican state Senators are advancing a proposal to ban all gender-affirming care for children and teens under 18.
The bill passed the Senate 36-12, sending it to the House despite last week's contentious committee hearing that primarily featured testimony from vocal opponents. Witnesses said the types of care the bill would ban, such as hormone therapy and puberty blockers, is vital and often life-saving for trans kids.
Proponents of the legislation, however, have voiced concerns about the number of gender-transition surgeries, which the bill would also ban, taking place in the state. The only Indiana hospital that performs such procedures told senators that doctors typically do not refer minors for those surgeries.
“A child cannot understand the weight and permanency of these decisions,” said the bill's author, Republican Sen. Tyler Johnson, an emergency medicine physician from Leo-Cedarville, Indiana. “Given the pressures put on parents, the irreversible nature of these procedures and the unknown long-term effects, there’s no such thing as true informed consent.”
“When it comes to either surgery or treatment by hormones or other things like that, I think you’re better off waiting until they get to be 18 and be able to make that determination themselves,” Bray told reporters Tuesday after the vote.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Indiana Senate joins states trying to limit transgender careIndiana Republican state Senators are advancing a proposal to ban all gender-affirming care for children and teens under 18
Read more »
Youth-driven bill to create Indiana climate change task force dies in Senate — againIndiana lawmakers heard testimony in support of a bi-partisan bill to establish a statewide climate solutions task force, but the legislation stalled after the chairman of the Senate's Environmental Affairs Committee declined to call it for a vote.
Read more »
'I hope it does have a chilling effect': Indiana Senate passes bill targeting 'bad books'A bill that would open teachers and school librarians to criminal prosecution over the content of books and other educational materials was passed by the Indiana Senate Tuesday.
Read more »
Republican backed election fraud bill advances in Texas SenateSenate Bill 2, which would increasing the criminal penalty for committing election fraud, is a top priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. It was voted out of...
Read more »
Indiana State Police warns Hoosiers of phone scammers impersonating state troopersThe Indiana State Police (ISP) have received concerns from Hoosiers reporting a phone scam that uses the ISP General Headquarters phone number.
Read more »
Person shot by Indiana State Police trooper on south side of IndianapolisOne person was injured Feb. 27, 2023 in a shooting involving Indiana State Police on the south
Read more »