PIERRE, S.D. – The House State Affairs Committee passed a bill 8-5 that would prosecute doctors who administer treatment to minors under the age of 16 to help them change their gender.
The measure would make it a felony for South Dakota doctors to administer puberty-blocking drugs, gender-changing surgery and other gender-change treatment to minors.
The bill’s prime sponsor is Representative Fred Deutsch of Florence. Deutsch says his bill is a “pause,” and says it’s about protecting kids to young to make such a serious decision.
SD Medical Association lobbyist Dean Krogman says, if this bill passes, South Dakota would be only state in the nation to criminalize the doctor-patient relationship.
According to testimony, there are no transgender surgeries being performed on minors in South Dakota.
The bill now moves on to the full House.
