On Tuesday, Idaho Governor Brad Little signed into law a bill that prohibits transgender minors from receiving gender-related care, according to CBS’s KREM 2 News.
The bill, known as H71 or “The Vulnerable Child Protective Act,” will go into effect on Jan 1, 2024.
Under the law, doctors who prescribe gender-related hormones or puberty blockers to minors could face felony charges and up to 10 years of prison time.
The law also bans gender confirmation surgeries for minors.
Conservative supporters of the bill argue that banning gender-related care for transgender minors is necessary to prevent genital mutilation.
They also argue the legislation stops genital mutilation.
However, Democratic lawmakers in Idaho argue that the bill will lead to more suicides among trans teens and is an infringement on parental decision-making for the health of their children.
This is in spite of studies (here, here) demonstrating a link between gender-related medical interventions and an increased risk of suicide among patients. That’s on top of the already 50% of transgender and “non-binary” youth in America who have seriously considered suicide in the past year.
Following the signing of the bill, Rep. Lauren Necochea, chair of the Idaho Democratic Party, released a statement saying that the law “criminalizes treatments proven to reduce suicidality, anxiety, and depression among transgender youth.”
The bill was passed by the Senate on March 27 and signed into law by Governor Little on April 5.
In his transmittal letter, Little stated that while society has a role in protecting minors from surgeries or treatments that could harm their bodies, policymakers should exercise caution when interfering with parental decisions.
“This bill is aptly named the Vulnerable Child Protection Act because it seeks to protect children with gender dysphoria from medical and surgical interventions that can cause permanent damage to their bodies before they are mature enough to make such serious health decisions,” he wrote.
