Alabama’s controversial law banning puberty and hormone blockers, genital mutilation, and gender reassignment surgeries has officially gone into effect.
The SB184 is known as the Alabama Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act.
“Relating to public health; to prohibit the performance of a medical procedure or the prescription of medication, upon or to a minor child, that is intended to alter the minor child’s gender or delay puberty; to provide for exceptions; to provide for disclosure of certain information concerning students to parents by schools; and to establish criminal penalties for violations; […].”
https://legiscan.com/AL/text/SB184/id/2566425
This bill offers protections to children not yet old enough and developed enough to consent to the body and mind-altering drugs and hormone blockers. The law also restricts nurses, counselors, teachers, principals, and administrative officials at public and private schools from coercing children into decisions or withholding information from the child’s parents or legal guardians.
In edge cases where these drugs are required for medical and health purposes, the law provides exceptions and does not affect the right or duty of licensed pharmacists or the standard of care for hospitals and physicians.
Violations of this new law will result in a Class C felony, leading to up to 10 years in prison and $15,000 in fines.
The law has been a subject of controversy since it was introduced, including a challenge by the US justice department https://www.al.com/news/2022/04/doj-files-complaint-alleging-alabama-trans-youth-law-unconstitutional.html.
Two families of transgender teens and two doctors had filed lawsuits against Alabama but ultimately have dropped their suits as of Friday, April 15th. https://thealabamabaptist.org/plaintiffs-drop-lawsuit-challenging-alabama-transgender-treatment-law/
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has been vocal in speaking out against those objecting to the law without proper review of the available scientific and medical information.
Marshall expressed that the “Biden Administration has chosen to prioritize leftist politics at the expense of Alabama’s children.” And continued in a statement, “As we will show in this case, DOJ’s assertion that these treatments are ‘medically necessary’ is ideologically-driven disinformation. The science and common sense are on Alabama’s side. We will win this fight to protect our children.”
It is unclear whether this law will attract new lawsuits against the state, but the law is in full effect.
