A bill banning gender reassignment procedures for minors was passed by the New Hampshire House on Thursday in Concord, New Hampshire (TND).
House Bill 619 would forbid young people from starting reproductive changes. Additionally, it would stop doctors from performing the procedures or recommending out-of-state features.
Those caught engaging in the “unprofessional conduct” would be disciplined.
Only those over the age of majority should undergo genital gender reassignment surgery in the state of New Hampshire, according to the measure, because there isn’t enough high-quality data to demonstrate safety and efficacy, including long-term outcomes.
According to the bill, gender reassignment surgery is against a hospital’s “informed consent” because it calls for “adequate information,” “the capacity to consider,” and “absence of coercion.”
The act states that when parents feel they have a choice between having their child commit suicide or consent to having the child undergo genital gender reassignment surgeries, the procedure typically lacks both sufficient information for informed consent and carries a high risk of filial coercion.
Additionally, according to HB 619, there aren’t enough high-quality clinical trials available to analyze the results of youth reassignment surgeries’ use of cross-sex hormones and pubertal suppression.
“We must wait,” according to InDepthNH, State Rep. Erica Layon, R-Derry, argued that there should be a pause. “If there is no data, is it acceptable to tell parents that the process is safe and effective?”
Studies have not shown a decline in minors’ suicide risk following surgery, according to the policy. Some reported a “major increase” in deaths and hospitalizations for mental illnesses.
According to the New Hampshire Bulletin, State Rep. Layon stated that “these procedures were prohibited by [medical] guidelines up until 16 months ago.”
Minors shouldn’t undergo reassignment surgeries, according to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health and the Endocrine Society.
Chris Christie opposes the ban on minors ‘access to gender change procedures.
The act was opposed by State Rep. Gerri Cannon, a Somersworth Democrat and the first elected transgender senator in New Hampshire.
State Rep. Cannon stated, according to InDepthNH, “This is not about procedure but rather about why we are considering incorporating health operations into New Hampshire legislation that is frequently changing.” “Medical professionals” are continually learning new patient treatment methods and methods.
The state’s Senate would move the matter, according to Chris Erchull, a lawyer for GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Soldiers.
Erchull told InDepthNH, “It appears that this will be off to Governor Sununu to choose whether or not he is going to give in to the interests of those who are out to get trans people, or whether, as Mike DeWine did in Ohio, and veto dangerous legislation that targets the rights of trans people.”
