TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, the House Health and Human Services Committee voted to pass House Bill 1421, a dangerous bill that will drastically threaten the lives of trans children in Florida and criminalize health care providers who provide medically safe and appropriate standards of care.
The ACLU of Florida opposes this bill and its companion bill, Senate Bill 254.
Kara Gross, legislative director and senior policy counsel, responded to today’s vote with the following:
“Why does our legislature continue to target children instead of addressing the real issues that Floridians face?
“Make no mistake: this bill will harm Florida’s most vulnerable children. If this bill is signed into law, parents of trans children will face a grim choice: either move their families out of Florida to seek evidence-based, medically necessary care for their children or stay in Florida and risk their children’s physical and mental well-being.
“This Governor and members of the legislature like to tout parental rights, but this bill takes away the right of parents to provide life-saving health care to their children. Parents, not politicians, know what is best for their own children, and they should be free to access the health care they need in consultation with their medical providers without governmental interference.
“This bill is not just about minors experiencing gender dysphoria, it also impacts adults. Under the bill, courts would be able to modify custody agreements to favor a parent who is unsupportive of their child accessing gender-affirming care, adult trans patients would no longer be able to use telehealth for their gender-affirming health care, and adults would not be able to ensure that their birth certificate reflects their gender identity.
“All Floridians should have the freedom to access the medical care they need to survive. These are the most basic of human rights.”
