Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A Tennessee bill allowing lawsuits against anyone taking minors out of the state without the consent of their parents for “gender affirming” care passed in the Senate on Thursday.
Senators voted along party lines 25 to 4 to pass Senate Bill 2782 (SB2782), sponsored by Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma-District 16), as amended, which makes the actions of an adult “who recruits, harbors, or transports an unemancipated minor within this state for the purpose of receiving a prohibited medical procedure under title 68, chapter 33, regardless of where the medical procedure is to be procured” a Class C felony.
Last year, lawmakers passed a law to protect children from the harmful effects of hormone replacement therapy and surgical mutilation for the purposes of aligning to a gender different from the child’s gender at birth.
The law went into effect after a Nashville federal judge’s stay was reversed following a vote by a three-judge panel of the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Similar to the parental protection law passed in the Senate on Wednesday criminalizing the abortion trafficking of minors, Bowling’s bill allows parents and legal guardians of minors the right to sue those who take it upon themselves to usurp parental rights.
Opposition to the bill included Senator Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville-District 20) who suggested that children suffering from gender dysmorphia had relationships with parents that were “not necessarily healthy” thereby necessitating that these minors go to other adults in their lives.
The companion House Bill 2310 (HB2310) sponsored by Representative Bryan Richey (R-Maryville-District 20) is scheduled to be heard in the House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee on April 16th, 2024.
Anyone who would like to express support for this legislation is encouraged to contact subcommittee members using the contact information below prior to that meeting date.
House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
Gary Hicks (Chair) (R) – rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-7480
Charlie Baum (R) – rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-6849
Karen Camper (D) – rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1898
Mark Cochran (R) – rep.mark.cochran@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1725
Jeremy Faison (R) – rep.jeremy.faison@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-6871
Johnny Garrett (R) – rep.johnny.garrett@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3893
David B. Hawk (R) – rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-7482
Patsy Hazlewood (R) – rep.patsy.hazlewood@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2746
Tim Hicks (R) – rep.tim.hicks@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1717
Harold Love, Jr. (D) – rep.harold.love@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3831
Jerome Moon (R) – rep.jerome.moon@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-5481
Johnny Shaw (D) – rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-4538
Sam Whitson (R) – rep.sam.whitson@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1864
Ryan Williams (R) – rep.ryan.williams@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1875
rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov, rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov, rep.karen.campter@capitol.tn.gov, rep.mark.cochran@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jeremy.faison@capitol.tn.gov, rep.johnny.garrett@capitol.tn.gov, rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov, rep.patsy.hazlewood@capitol.tn.gov, rep.tim.hicks@capitol.tn.gov, rep.harold.love@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jerome.moon@capitol.tn.gov, rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov, rep.sam.whitson@capitol.tn.gov, rep.ryan.williams@capitol.tn.gov
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.