Bill to ban youth gender confirmation surgery introduced

BOISE (AP) — Legislation that would make it illegal to perform gender confirmation surgery on juveniles was introduced in the Idaho House State Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

Rep. Bruce Skaug, a Republican from Nampa, said the bill, if approved, would modify the state's current law against female genital mutilation to include boys and make it clear that performing gender confirmation surgery on a child is a felony. The proposal includes exceptions for birth defects and “verifiable chromosomal disorders,” he said.

“The types of surgeries and actions proscribed in the bill are often irreversible, or at the very least cause permanent damage on a child that I believe is too young to be making those decisions,” Skaug told the committee.

The bill was introduced on a 13-1 vote.