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OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would prohibit gender-affirming care to minors who are transgender.
Senate Bill 613, by Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, passed 40-8 with Republicans supporting it and Democrats opposing it.
Violations would be a felony subject to license revocation and a civil suit brought by a parent, guardian or next of friend to the child. Next of friend is not defined in the act.
A child could file suit until the age of 45, Daniels said.
Senate Minority Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, asked why the Legislature wanted to take away a parent’s right to make medical decisions about their child.
Daniels said the law would hit the pause button until transgender children reach a level of maturity.
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“My main concern with this bill is very, very simple,” Floyd said. “This is an attack on parents’ rights. This is taking away from parents their right to make medical decisions for their child. You may not agree with that medical decision, and that is fine.”
She said letting the Legislature pick and choose what medical procedures are allowed is a “very slippery” slope.
Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, calls the bill “a pause button” for gender-affirming procedures until the patient reaches age 18.
Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, said lawmakers heard that parents are “helpless pushovers” and need government to “hold their hand” until a child turns 18.
Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, said kids are being told lies that they can transition from one gender to another.
“There is no spectrum of choice,” he said. “You are a boy. You are a girl.”
He said people are cashing in on transgender care and said it involves horrific surgeries with cascading consequences.
Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, assured senators that they were doing the right thing by passing the measure.
“You cannot cure confusion with a knife,” Bullard said.
Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, said he disagreed vehemently with those who accuse supporters of the bill of not caring or having compassion.
“We do care, and that is why we are supporting this bill,” Bergstrom said.
The measure now moves to the House for consideration.
Gov. Kevin Stitt has expressed support for the concept.
Tamya Cox-Toure, ACLU of Oklahoma executive director, said there is no evidence that people are being pushed into care.
“Gender-affirming care is life-saving care, and the ACLU of Oklahoma and our partners are determined to fight these baseless laws at the Capitol or in the courts,” she said.
“Going against the guidance of every major medical and mental health association, this bill brings the state one step closer toward stripping transgender and nonbinary young people of their right to receive best-practice medical care,” said Troy Stevenson, director of state advocacy campaigns at The Trevor Project.
At the same time, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs praised the measure’s passage.
“The idea that we would ban a child from smoking cigarettes but allow them to receive life-altering surgeries or cross-sex hormones has never made sense, and members of the Senate deserve credit for advancing this common-sense protection for minors,” said Jonathan Small, OCPA president.
Also Wednesday, the House’s version of the legislation — House Bill 2177 by Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore — advanced from the House Public Health Committee over the strenuous objections of the panel’s lone Democrat, Trish Ranson of Stillwater.
Similar to the Senate measure, HB 2177 would ban gender-reassignment treatments for minors and would forbid health insurance plans from covering such procedures. It also would bar state-supported medical facilities from such procedures on all patients, regardless of age.
Lifting language from child sexual abuse statutes, the bill would allow individuals who do undergo gender reassignment procedures to sue those involved until the patient reaches age 45.
Randy Krehbiel contributed to this story.
Tulsa-area state legislators and how to contact them
Sen. Nathan Dahm
DISTRICT 33
Sen. Nathan Dahm (R)
Hometown: Broken Arrow
District area: South and east Tulsa County
Phone: 405-521-5551
Sen. Dana Prieto

DISTRICT 34
Sen. Dana Prieto (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Owasso and northern Tulsa County
Phone: 405-521-5566
Email Sen. Prieto
Sen. Jo Anna Dossett

DISTRICT 35
Sen. Jo Anna Dossett (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: South and central Tulsa
Phone: 405-521-5624
Sen. John Haste

DISTRICT 36
Sen. John Haste (R)
Hometown: Broken Arrow
District area: Eastern Tulsa County, western Wagoner County
Phone: 405-521-5602
Email Sen. Haste
Sen. Todd Gollihare

DISTRICT 12
Sen. Todd Gollihare (R)
Hometown: Kellyville
District area: Creek County
Phone: 405-521-5528
Sen. Kevin Matthews

DISTRICT 11
Sen. Kevin Matthews (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Northern Tulsa, southeast Osage County
Phone: 405-521-5598
Sen. Joe Newhouse

DISTRICT 25
Sen. Joe Newhouse (R)
Hometown: Broken Arrow
District area: South Tulsa, Bixby, Broken Arrow and Jenks
Phone: 405-521-5675
Sen. Dave Rader

DISTRICT 39
Sen. Dave Rader (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Central and south Tulsa
Phone: 405-521-5620
Sen. Cody Rogers

DISTRICT 37
Sen. Cody Rogers (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District Area: West Tulsa County
Phone: 405-521-5600
Rep. Meloyde Blancett

DISTRICT 78
Rep. Meloyde Blancett (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Midtown Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7334
Rep. Jeff Boatman

DISTRICT 67
Rep. Jeff Boatman (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Southeast Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7341
Rep. Amanda Swope

DISTRICT 71
Rep. Amanda Swope (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Brookside in Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7361
Rep. Suzanne Schreiber

DISTRICT 70
Rep. Suzanne Schreiber (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Midtown Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7359
Email Rep. Schreiber
Rep. Dean Davis

DISTRICT 98
Rep. Dean Davis (R)
Hometown: Broken Arrow
District area: Elm Place in east Broken Arrow, east to 248th East Avenue
Phone: 405-557-7362
Rep. Mark Tedford

DISTRICT 69
Rep. Mark Tedford (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Jenks, Bixby and Tulsa between those cities
Phone: 405-557-7331
Rep. Scott Fetgatter

DISTRICT 16
Rep. Scott Fetgatter (R)
Hometown: Okmulgee
District area: Okmulgee County and the southeastern tip of Tulsa County
Phone: 405-557-7373
Rep. Ross Ford

DISTRICT 76
Rep. Ross Ford (R)
Hometown: Broken Arrow
District area: West Broken Arrow
Phone: 405-557-7347
Rep. Regina Goodwin

DISTRICT 73
Rep. Regina Goodwin (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Downtown and northwest Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7406
Rep. Kyle Hilbert

DISTRICT 29
Rep. Kyle Hilbert (R)
Hometown: Depew
District area: Westernmost Tulsa County, Creek County
Phone: 405-557-7353
Rep. Mark Lawson

DISTRICT 30
Rep. Mark Lawson (R)
Hometown: Sapulpa
District area: Sapulpa, Mounds, southwest Tulsa County
Phone: 405- 557-7414
Rep. T.J. Marti

DISTRICT 75
Rep. T.J. Marti (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: East Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7356
Rep. Stan May

DISTRICT 80
Rep. Stan May (R)
Hometown: Broken Arrow
District area: Southeast Tulsa County; small section of southwest Wagoner County
Phone: 405-557-7338
Rep. Monroe Nichols

DISTRICT 72
Rep. Monroe Nichols (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Southeast corner of Inner Dispersal Loop to Owasso; also includes Turley and Sperry
Phone: 405-557-7391
Rep. Clay Staires

DISTRICT 66
Rep. Clay Staires (R)
Hometown: Skiatook
District area: Sand Springs, west Tulsa between Arkansas River and Osage County line and Riverview
Phone: 405-557-7390
Rep. Terry O’Donnell

DISTRICT 23
Rep. Terry O’Donnell (R)
Hometown: Catoosa
District area: Catoosa, east Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7379
Rep. Melissa Provenzano

DISTRICT 79
Rep. Melissa Provenzano (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: East and southeast Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7330
Rep. Lonnie Sims

DISTRICT 68
Rep. Lonnie Sims (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: West Tulsa County from the bend of Arkansas River down to Glenpool
Phone: 405-557-7340
Rep. John Kane

DISTRICT 11
Rep. John Kane (R)
Hometown: Bartlesville
District area: Bartlesville, north Tulsa County including Collinsville
Phone: 405-557-7358
Rep. Mark Vancuren

DISTRICT 74
Rep. Mark Vancuren (R)
Hometown: Owasso
District area: Suburban Owasso
Phone: 405-557-7377
Rep. John Waldron

DISTRICT 77
Rep. John Waldron (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Northeast Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7410
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