South Dakota lawmakers want to ban gender surgeries, puberty blockers for children

PIERRE — Children subjected to gender-changing therapies would be able to sue their medical providers later in life under new legislation introduced this week at the state Capitol.

Rep. Bethany Soye on Tuesday unveiled a “Help not Harm” bill that seeks to make it an illegal act in South Dakota to perform or prescribe gender transition surgeries, cross-sex hormone therapy and puberty blockers to children. The bill also establishes a pathway for someone to collect damages later in life if they’re subjected to those therapies and to put doctors who perform or prescribe gender transition treatments through a review for unprofessional conduct.

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