Arkansas Legislature Votes to Ban Gender-Transition Procedures for Minors

Arkansas lawmakers on Monday passed first of its kind legislation that would prevent doctors from offering puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones or gender-transition surgery to minors.

Under the measure, any healthcare professional who offers such services would be in danger of losing their medical license and open to lawsuits from patients who later come to regret their procedures.

Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson has not yet revealed whether he will sign the bill into law.

“The governor will review the bill more closely, listen to the debate, study it and make a decision on the legislation,” spokesperson Katie Beck told Reuters.