Florida Lawmakers Pass Bill Allowing State To Take Trans Kids From Parents

Lawmakers in Florida have passed legislation that will empower the state to take transgender minors away from their parents if they are receiving gender-affirming care. Hideous. https://twitter.com/newrepublic/status/1654227814495793153 From the New Republic:

The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 26–13, mainly along party lines, and the House shortly after by a vote of 83–28, again along party lines. The measure now goes to the desk of Governor Ron DeSantis, who has previously expressed support for it and will likely sign it into law.

If he signs it into law, the measure will allow the state to take custody of a child if they have been “subjected to or [are] threatened with being subjected to” gender-affirming care, which includes puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy.

The text refers to gender-affirming care as “sex-reassignment prescriptions or procedures” and qualifies this care as a form of “physical harm.”

“This is the wrong thing to do,” argued Representative Kelly Skidmore during the debate of the bill. “This is a bad bill that interferes with parental rights, that interferes with health care rights, and it puts people in danger of not being able to get the care that they need.” Related: Florida Bill Would Allow Doctors To Refuse Treating LGBTQ Patients Minors who have begun gender-affirming care will be allowed to continue to do so, but their doctors will be required to tell them about the “risks” of such care, and patients will have to sign an informed consent form. Read the full report here. https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1654232839443955715