Florida lawmakers are introducing a bill that would expand the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth, including a felony charge against health care providers who “aid or abet” such procedures.
LGBTQ+ activists and parents have warned that the provision is dangerously vague and could penalize counselors who discuss gender issues with young people and pharmacists who dispense prescriptions, something the bill’s sponsors acknowledge to some extent.
House Bill 743 and Senate Bill 1010 It would also give the attorney general the power to investigate and prosecute medical professionals who violate laws restricting gender-affirming care. Both men were voted off the committee this week.
The law, enacted in 2023, already provided for felony charges against doctors who provide gender-affirming procedures to trans minors.
Related: What is gender-affirming care, who uses it, and do they regret it?
The bill’s main sponsors, both Republicans, argued that “bad actors” were trying to circumvent the law. “What we’re seeing is that the actual coding that’s being used is in question, hundreds of thousands of dollars per child are being spent on child gender reassignment, and the coding is being misrepresented by saying it’s not gender dysphoria, it’s indoctrination disorder,” Rep. Lauren Mello, the House bill’s sponsor, said during Tuesday’s hearing. florida politics. Mello acknowledged that if the bill becomes law, charges could be filed against pharmacists.
“The purpose of this bill is to continue to protect Florida’s children and hold bad actors accountable,” Sen. Clay Yarborough said at a House committee hearing on the same day. florida phoenix I will report it. Yarborough was the driving force behind the ban, which was enacted in 2023.
At a press conference Wednesday, Stratton Politzer, executive director of Equality Florida, called the bills “more litigation for teachers and doctors.” “Ambiguous and dangerous language…would expand states’ authority to investigate medical professionals, counselors, and even teachers who support transgender youth,” he said.
“These bills are smoke bombs, designed to distract Floridians from a complete failure. [Gov.] “Ron DeSantis and his allies are trying to address the real crises facing Floridians: lack of affordability, housing emergency, and rising insurance premiums,” he added.
Behavioral health therapist Savannah Thompson expressed her concerns in an interview with a public radio station. WFSU. “While this may increase fear for clients under 18, it also increases the likelihood that professionals will not be able to speak honestly and openly with clients and provide them with the care and support they deserve,” she said.
John Harris Maurer, director of public policy for Equality Florida, also told the station: [these bills] Daily care turns into a trap. Nurses who draw blood, pharmacists who fill prescriptions, and counselors who provide treatment could all be targeted if the attorney general determines that they are cited or de-cited for assistance with care. ”
Some lawmakers said the bills would put too much power in the hands of the attorney general. “I don’t mean to disrespect the people who come here for gender-affirming care, but that’s not the purpose of this bill,” Democratic Rep. Kelly Skidmore said during the House version of the hearing, as reported by Florida Politics. “This is about giving one individual and possibly his successor powers that they don’t deserve and cannot control. They’ve proven they can’t be trusted. This is a terrible bill.”
Current Attorney General James Usmayer was appointed by DeSantis in February to fill the vacancy created when the governor appointed Ashley Moody to the U.S. Senate to replace Marco Rubio, who currently serves as U.S. Secretary of State. Usmayer, a former chief of staff to DeSantis, has taken many far-right positions, including anti-LGBTQ+ positions. Critics have accused Mr. Usmayer of misappropriating Medicaid settlement funds for political purposes while he was chief of staff. He insists he did nothing illegal.
Related: Florida sues major medical organization for supporting gender-affirming care
The bill that is the subject of a lawsuit that would expand the ban on gender-affirming care currently in place is just one of several anti-LGBTQ+ bills pending in Florida. Other bills include HB 641/SB 164, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay or Transgender in the Workplace” bill. Egalitarian Florida. The law would protect people who intentionally misgender coworkers, prohibit job applicants from identifying as transgender or nonbinary on job applications, and block LGBTQ-inclusive cultural competency training in certain workplaces, Equality Florida reports.
HB 347/SB 426 would ban flags related to “political ideology, race, gender, or sexual orientation” from being displayed on government buildings. “The conditions are so broad that they even ban rainbows on posters, coffee cups, and lapel pins,” Equality Florida notes. “This is blatant censorship.”
But Politzer expressed hope at a news conference that Congress will see a repeat of last year, when several anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced but not passed. “We look forward to lawmakers once again refusing to prioritize Mr. DeSantis’ policies of increased censorship, surveillance, and government control as everyday Floridians face real challenges.”
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
