A Wyoming bill banning sex-change treatments for kids cleared the state Senate in a 26-5 vote Tuesday, and is headed to the House of Representatives.
Senate File 99, Chloe’s Law, proposes to penalize health care professionals with losing their licenses or suspension if they perform sex-change surgeries on minors, or prescribe to minors puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones.
There are exceptions in the bill for treating kids who have intersex conditions or precocious puberty.
The five delegates voting against the bill were Democratic Sens. Chris Rothfuss of Laramie and Mike Gierau of Jackson, and Republican Sens. Jim Anderson (Casper), Cale Case (Lander) and Bill Landen (Casper).
‘Child Abuse’
The bill’s proponents call it a commonsense measure.
“You’re not talking about medical emergencies, Mr. President,” Sen. Charlie Scott, R-Casper, said while advocating for the bill. “You’re talking about a very profound change in the kind of life an individual will lead.”
The person weathering that change should be the one to choose it, Scott continued, adding that children are too young to consent properly and to understand the consequences of what they are using.
“My point of view is, having this pushed on children from the outside – and often what happens in children as they go through puberty, they are confused about these kinds of issues – really amounts to child abuse,” he said.
Sen. Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, echoed Scott. He said posterity will view sex-change treatments the way modern man now views the leeching and bloodletting treatments of past eras.
Liberty
The bill’s critics called it authoritarian.
Rothfuss said it’s antithetical to the Wyoming Legislature’s usual mission and mantra, of protecting individual liberty.
“Somehow now the Legislature is going to insert itself into that decision-making process,” said Rothfuss. “After all we’ve heard about parents’ choice, parents’ rights, parents’ decisions, health care freedom, preservation of individual rights with regard to health care choices … over and over again.”
Rothfuss said Chloe’s Law reflects legislators’ personal opinions on transgender treatments, not a regard for individual rights and family autonomy.
Landen agreed, saying he’s received 14 letters from 14 health care providers in his community opposing the bill.
“(They) wrote to me to say this is not a place where state government belongs,” said Landen. “I agree.”
Last Year In The House
This is the second version of Chloe’s Law. Bill sponsor Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, brought the bill in 2023 also. It cleared the Senate then advanced to the House.
House Speaker Albert Sommers, R-Pinedale, sent it to the House Appropriations Committee, which sent it to the bottom of the bills stack with a “do not pass” recommendation. It died when a House majority voted to end hearings early, in part to dodge a raft of expensive bills.
Bouchard railed against the decision at the time, calling the House Appropriations Committee a “kill committee.”
Sommers countered, saying that committee contains experienced lawmakers who would be able to foresee any issues with the bill.
For example, committee members were concerned at the time that Chloe’s Law could put Wyoming insurance beneficiaries crossways with the federal insurance policies and cause a coverage fallout.
Next Up
To survive the House this year, Chloe’s Law will have to survive a vetting in a House committee, then three floor readings, and a consent vote from the Senate if there are any amendments.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
