Bill Preventing Alabama Minors From Receiving Gender-Affirming Care Does Not Go To Vote On House Floor

A bill that would have made it a crime to provide gender-affirming care for trans youth died on the floor of the Alabama State House Monday night. 

The bill — Senate Bill (SB) 10 — was scheduled for a vote but did not come up before the 2021 legislation season came to a close yesterday. The bill, which had been sponsored by Republican State Senator Shay Shelnutt, and which passed in the Senate back in March, would have made it a felony for healthcare providers to provide hormonal treatment puberty blockers to minors under the age of 19. 

SB 10 is one of numerous anti-trans bills that have been proposed or passed in state houses across the country this year. In April, Alabama governor Kay Ivey signed a bill into law that prevents trans women and girls from competing on scholastic sports teams in accordance with their gender identity. 

That same month, the ACLU, Lambda Legal, and other organizations threatened to file suit against SB 10 should the Alabama legislature pass the bill into law. 

For now, opponents of the bill are cautiously optimistic, although the legislation can still be taken up in future House sessions. “While the Alabama Legislature avoided passing this poorly designed bill, and we should all celebrate this victory for transgender people, for human rights, and for the state of Alabama, we know that this is not the last attack we will see on the transgender community,” said Kaitlin Welborn, an attorney with the ACLU of Alabama, in a statement reported by the Montgomery Advertiser. “We cannot become complacent.” 

Yesterday was the final day of Legislative Session, and they did NOT pass the trans youth healthcare ban. This is an important victory that was hard won by many many trans activists and allies who came out this year. Thank you all. #ProtectTransKids https://t.co/vuoex5HqAz

— ACLU of Alabama (@ACLUAlabama) May 18, 2021

In a statement posted to Twitter, the ACLU of Alabama said, “This is an important victory that was hard won by many, many trans activists and allies who came out this year. Thank you all.”