Louisiana House passes bill to ban gender-affirming care for minors

By SARA CLINE
Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — With the Louisiana House’s approval, a bill that would ban gender-affirming medical care to minors is advancing to the Senate. The bill would prohibit doctors from performing “gender transition procedures” — such as hormone treatments, gender reassignment surgery or puberty-blocking drugs — on anyone under the age of 18 who is seeking treatment to “alter” their sex assigned at birth. The measure, which also establishes penalties for health professionals who provide such care, passed 71-24 mainly along party lines. At least 16 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors. Additionally, three states — Florida, Missouri and Texas — have banned or restricted the care with regulations or administrative orders.