New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte (R) signed bills Friday outlawing gender mutilation practices for minors, becoming the first state in New England to do so.
“Medical decisions made at a young age can carry lifelong consequences, and these bills represent a balanced, bipartisan effort to protect children,” she said upon signing the bills.
One bill, HB 377, prohibits the “performance of a medical procedure or the prescription or issuance of medication, upon or to a minor child, that is intended to alter the minor child’s gender,” while the other bill, HB 712, limits breast surgeries for minors.
“I applaud Governor Ayotte for signing HB 377 and HB 712, which protect minors in New Hampshire from harmful cross-sex hormones and irreversible surgeries. These commonsense safeguards, strongly supported by Granite State voters, ensure children aren’t subjected to life-altering medical interventions they can’t fully understand or consent to,” the sponsor of the bills, Rep. Lisa Mazur, said in a statement, as per WMUR. “New Hampshire is now the first state in New England and the Northeast to take this important step to protect vulnerable youth. I’m proud to stand with families across our state in putting children’s safety and well-being first. Thank you to my colleagues and Governor Ayotte for their leadership.”
New Hampshire’s former governor, Chris Sununu, signed legislation in 2024 banning “bottom surgery” for minors. “HB 619 ensures that life-altering, irreversible surgeries will not be performed on children,” Sununu said at the time. “This bill focuses on protecting the health and safety of New Hampshire’s children and has earned bipartisan support.”
