Not a surprise at all, but Rep Shipp’s bill to block healthcare for transgender youth is back for the fourth time.
This puts two bills impacting transgender youth healthcare in play. The other being Sen Kennedy’s SB0016 which bans genital and gender affirming surgeries for transgender youth.
As normal, the bills are intended to target the transgender community while specifically stating it will leave harmful surgeries in place that are performed on Intersex babies and infants.
It will be interesting to see if Rules holds this bill back in favor of Sen Kennedy’s since this is already a three time loser. They will likely make some decision to only work one and I suspect they will likely move towards the one with surgeries only to stay out of the hormone discussion. Additionally, Sen Kennedy is a doctor, which may sway Rules. We will likely learn early in the General Session.
2020 bill https://le.utah.gov/~2020/bills/static/HB0449.html
This bill went through amendments to reduce the healthcare it impacted and eventually because a study on the impacts of hormones. It was voted down.
2021 bill https://le.utah.gov/~2021/bills/static/HB0092.html
This bill went to the HHS Committee who voted to return it to the Rules Committee
2022 bill https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/HB0127.html
This bill went to the HHS Committee where it wasn’t brought up and was sent back to rules at the end of the session.
2023 bill https://le.utah.gov/~2023/bills/static/HB0132.html