The Florida House could give final approval this week to a plan that would bar doctors and other health care providers from offering gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to minors.
The House is scheduled to take up the issue (HB 1421) during a floor session Tuesday.
The Republican-controlled Senate on April 4 passedits version (SB 254) of the bill, 27-12, with the vote mostly along party lines.
The plan would largely put into law rules approved by state medical boards to prevent doctors from providing the treatments to minors. It could lead to felony charges for doctors who do so.
Bill sponsor Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, said the treatments, which also could involve surgery, are “experimental” when provided to children.
Democratic lawmakers said major medical associations support gender-affirming care for minors and that the bill is part of broader efforts in legislatures across the country to target LGBTQ youths. Rep. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, called the bill “persecution.”
Also during Tuesday’s floor session, the House is scheduled to consider a proposal (HB 1423 and SB 1438) aimed at preventing children from attending drag shows and a proposal (HB 1521) that seeks to prevent transgender men and women from using bathrooms that don’t line up with their sex assigned at birth.
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