Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana utilized his veto power to reject a bill known as the “Stop Harming Our Kids Act,” which aimed to prohibit certain transgender medical procedures for minors. The proposed legislation would have banned surgeries such as double mastectomies for girls identifying as boys, as well as the administration of cross-sex hormones and puberty inhibitors to minors.
In a letter addressed to Louisiana House Speaker Clay Scherer, Governor Edwards stated that he believed the bill lacked a legitimate state interest and rational basis to justify harming this small population of children, their families, and their healthcare providers. Citing examples of conservative court decisions in other states, including Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Tennessee, Edwards argued that the law would likely be deemed unconstitutional. He also suggested that proponents of limited government should oppose the legislation, as he viewed it as a targeted assault on children.
Despite Governor Edwards’ veto, the state legislature, which is predominantly controlled by Republicans with a supermajority, had previously shown significant support for the bill. It passed in the Senate with a vote of 29-10 and in the House with a vote of 75-25.
Initially, the bill faced delays in the Senate’s Health and Welfare Committee due to a Republican state senator’s opposition. The committee’s 5-4 vote against the bill, with Republican Fred Mills joining Democrats, halted its progress. Governor Edwards was accused of exerting political pressure on committee members to reject the bill. However, it eventually moved to a different committee and passed.
Kentucky, another state led by Democrats, is among approximately 20 states that have enacted bans on transgender treatments for minors. In Kentucky, the Republican-controlled legislature overrode a veto by a federal judge, although parts of the measure were invalidated by the court.
Federal judges in several states, including Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Indiana, and Florida, have issued rulings that blocked certain provisions or the entirety of similar bills on the basis that they might violate the 14th Amendment.
Regarding Tennessee’s ban on cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers for children, U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson issued a temporary injunction, despite the acknowledged irreversible effects of these drugs on developing brains and bodies. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti filed an emergency stay motion with the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in response.