“Legislation that impacts our most vulnerable youth must be carefully examined and considered,” Governor Cox said in a statement.
The bill on transgender medical treatments and procedures, SB 16, prohibits individuals under the age of 18 from seeking procedures “for the purpose of sex reassignment,” The Hill reports.
“While the bill is not perfect, we are grateful for Senator Kennedy’s nuanced and thoughtful approach to this very controversial issue. More and more experts, states and countries around the world are pausing these permanent and life-changing treatments for new patients until more and better research can help determine the long-term consequences,” Cox added.
According to a report by The Hill, beginning July 1, the bill will also require medical providers to consider whether alternative medical treatments for gender reassignment would offer a minor the “best long-term outcome”. They must also identify and document any physical or mental health conditions and consider whether treating those conditions before providing care will produce the best outcome.
Beginning January 1 of next year, the law will deem providing hormone treatment to a transgender youth without proper certification as “unprofessional conduct.” “Physicians will be able to obtain certification after completing 40 hours of ‘training’ related to transgender health care from an accredited organization.”