A congressional committee advanced a bill proposed by Utah Rep. Mike Kennedy that would make it easier for patients to sue over gender-related surgeries and hormone treatments.
Then-state Sen. Mike Kennedy speaks at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Jan. 24, 2023. A congressional committee advanced a bill proposed by Kennedy that would make it easier for patients to sue over gender-related surgeries and hormone treatments.
A congressional committee advanced Rep. Mike Kennedy's bill limiting gender-related treatments for minors. Democrats on the committee called the bill a distraction from other issues facing the country. SALT LAKE CITY — A congressional committee advanced a bill proposed by Utah Rep.
Mike Kennedy that would make it easier for patients to sue over gender-related surgeries and hormone treatments. The House Committee on the Judiciary advanced the bill to the full House of Representatives on a 15-8 vote on Wednesday. TheIt would allow patients who received hormone treatments, puberty blockers or surgical procedures to help them transition their gender as minors sue their providers for damages if they later regret their transition.
Private lawsuits could also help them recoup any costs associated with later detransitioning. Kennedy and other Republicans said the bill is needed to protect children from what they say are harmful procedures, but Democrats on the committee called it an attempt to distract from more pressing issues in Washington.
"As both a physician and a legislator, my primary commitment has consistently been the safety and well-being of our children," Kennedy said in a statement. "We are seeing a disturbing trend where radical ideologies have overtaken evidence-based medicine, causing irreversible and terrible damage to children. " The bill is a "great way to distract from corruption, self-enrichment, villainy and incompetence," according to Rep.
Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, who pointed to high gas prices caused by the ongoing "This bill makes a mockery of federalism to effectively impose a national ban on gender-affirming care," he said. He added it would have "consequences for vulnerable young people who need our support, not demonization and ostracism.for minors in Utah while serving in the state Senate — but experts say there are already guardrails in place to protect patients.
Medical professionals no longer perform what is known as top surgery on minors, according to Collin Kuhn, a Salt Lake City-based clinical child and adolescent psychologist who specializes in gender-related care.
"Providers just aren't doing surgery for people under 18," Kuhn told KSL in March after Kennedy's bill was introduced. Only about 1% of those who received gender-related surgeries went on to regret their decision, which is lower than the rate of regret for elective procedures such as breast augmentation or getting a tattoo, according to a 2024 study published in the Kennedy pointed to his 2023 moratorium in Utah — which was extended permanently earlier this year — as a model for ending what he called "evil practices.
" "This is a legally durable, constitutionally sound, and clear path forward to stopping a practice that results in the mutilation of children under the guise of care," he said of the Chloe Cole Act. The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written. Bridger Beal-Cvetko is a reporter for KSL.
He covers politics, Salt Lake County communities and breaking news. Bridger has worked for the Deseret News and graduated from Utah Valley University. State revokes license of Provo Canyon School's Provo campus amid lawsuit, abuse allegations
Please follow us on Google to support usTraffic Weather Sports Classifieds Cars Jobs Homes Television Radio Salt Lake Utah Local Politics Health Law Family
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.
Turkish official meets US lawmakers on defence, counterterrorismHulusi Akar separately holds talks with Rep. Brian Mast, and Rep. Rick Crawford in Washington, DC.
Read more »
The Children's Center Utah expands mental health services to Utah CountyThe Children's Center Utah recently opened its new Kahlert Children's Mental Health Center in Lehi, the organization's first location in Utah County.
Read more »
Rep. Mike Lawler reveals he was arrested for DWI in NYC in 2012US Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) came clean and revealed he had been arrested in 2012 on a drunk driving charge.
Read more »
Federal bill would nix 401K early withdrawal penalty for fertility treatmentsRep. Mike Levin introduces bipartisan Fertility Cost Relief Act with Rep. Mike Carey of Ohio.
Read more »