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Minutes for HB2791 - Committee on Health and Human Services
Short Title
Enacting the forbidding abuse child transitions act, restricting use of state funds to promote gender transitioning, prohibiting healthcare professionals from treating children whose gender identity is inconsistent with the child's sex, authorizing a civil cause of action against healthcare professionals for providing such treatments, authorizing professional discipline against a physician who performs such treatment, prohibiting professional liability insurance from covering damages for healthcare providers that provide gender transition treatment to children and adding violation of the act to the definition of unprofessional conduct for physicians and nurses.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 29, 2024
Ron Bryce, Kansas Legislature 11th District, provided testimony in support of HB2791 (Attachment 1). The bill bars taxpayer funds from being uses on unsafe gender-transitioning of children. The bill also prohibits advocating for the medical or surgical transitioning of a child if state funds are accepted to treat psychological disorders in children. The therapies are unproven and are not approved by the FDA.
Representative Bryce responded to questions from the committee.
Chloe Cole, Private Citizen, provided testimony in support of HB2791 (Attachment 2). Ms. Cole is a de-transitioned 18 year old woman who went through the process of medical transition between the ages of 12-16. Ms. Cole provided her personal history which included being treated negligently by her healthcare provider. She has experienced complications from the puberty blockers, cross sex hormones and the surgery. Her quality of life has been impacted. The status of her fertility remains unknown. Her parents wanted her to wait until she was of legal age. The doctors insisted that all children are confident in their gender identity from a young age, with a regret rate of transitioning less than 1-2%. Legislative intervention will protect other children and families from this medical experimentation.
Ms. Cole responded to questions from the committee.
Jamie Reed, Private Citizen, provided testimony in support of HB2791 (Attachment 3). Ms. Reed provided her professional background which included working as a case manager at the Washington University Pediatric Transgender Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital. While there she witnessed the Center cause permanent harm to many of the trans youth. Ms. Reed provided examples of the adverse effects of testosterone treatments. Concerns were raised for years. She was told to "get with the program or get out". The Center mislead the public and parents about what care it provided. While Psychiatry and Psychology practices were advertised, strict limits were placed so that she was almost never allowed to schedule patients for these practices. While promising a multidisciplinary team approach, doctors who raised concerns were told to stop questioning the prevailing narrative of immediate cross sex hormones. Ms. Reed provided examples of patient experiences. The four criteria to be met before treatment were deviated from to allow treatment to start. The criteria included age, a therapist letter, consent and a clinical visit. Children are experiencing serious harm and the Center would not do any follow up.
Ms. Reed responded to questions from the committee.
Dr. Ivan Abdouch, Retired Medical Director, Omaha Gender Identity Team, provided testimony in support of HB2791 (Attachment 4). Dr. Abdouch treated and advocated for transgender individuals for 30 years as the medical director for the Omaha Gender Identity Team. Patient safety is the priority. Regarding the current, generally accepted standard of care, there is none. WPATH is often referred to as the evidence based standards of care but this is not correct. Regarding the ability to determine with certainty the gender trajectory of a child or adolescent for their lifetime, the answer is we cannot. Regarding the potential consequences of erroneous medical or surgical treatment, the answer is unjustifiable, irreversible harm with lifelong effects. Additional talking points were provided with the testimony.
Dr. Abdouch responded to questions from the committee.
Pamela, Garfield-Jaeger, LCSW, provided testimony in support of HB2791 (Attachment 5). Ms. Gsrfield-Jaeger provided personal experiences in dealing with children considering transgender treatment as a licensed clinical social worker. There are zero studies that prove that affirming a person with trans identity prevents suicides, none having control groups in order to make this claim.
Brittany Jones Director of Policy and Engagement, Kansas Family Voice, provided testimony in support of HB2791 (Attachment 6). The organization represents thousands of members in Kansas who are concerned about the threat of these experimental procedures and drugs to Kansas children. The issues with cross sex hormones was reviewed. It was noted that 20 states have passed similar legislation. Kansas law has historically protected children from making binding, life altering decisions until they reach the age of 18.
Lucrecia Nold, Public Policy Specialist, Kansas Catholic Conference, provided testimony in support of HB2791 (Attachment 7). Separating one's biological sex from one's gender creates a situation where the person is in collision with themselves. A quote from Pope Francis was provided. Ms. Nold provided personal experiences from teaching 2nd and 7th graders.
Linda Highland, Private Citizen, provided testimony in support of HB2791 (Attachment 8). Minors are not mature enough to make lifetime changing decisions of rearranging body parts and hormone levels to have a seemingly new body identity. Children are being indoctrinated into the transgender ideology. This is a battle to save minors from anyone who would purposefully cause gender confusion in a child.
Joseph Kolm, Public Policy Director, Family Policy Alliance, provided testimony in support of HB2791 (Attachment 9). The bill will protect vulnerable children from dangerous sex change procedures, empower them to recover damages, and financially disincentive predatory behavior towards them. The bill also ensures vulnerable children struggling with gender dysphoria receive the help they need.
Michelle Engleman, Private Citizen, provided testimony in support of HB2791 (Attachment 10). Studies are showing that the rate of children experiencing gender dysphoria has gone from 2-14 per 100,000 to 9 in 100 in just a couple of years. This cannot be occurring organically. There are outside influences causing this. Possible contributors were provided. The victims have somethings in common: preexisting mental, emotional and spiritual problems, emptiness and lack of meaning. Ms. Engleman suggests these decisions should wait until adulthood.
The following provided testimony in support of the bill:
Brenda Smart, Private Citizen (Attachment 11)
Dale Enyart, Private Citizen (Attachment 12)
David Upsdell, Private Citizen (Attachment 13)
Debbie Detmer, Private Citizen (Attachment 14)
Denise Roberts, Private Citizen (Attachment 15)
Dr. David Boettger, Private Citizen (Attachment 16)
Elaine, Kansas Chapter Leader, Gays Against Groomers (Attachment 17)
Jamie Klenda, Private Citizen (Attachment 18)
Kathy Brown, Private Citizen (Attachment 19)
Shanxi Omoniyi, Private Citizen (Attachment 20)
Sheila Bergkamp, Private Citizen (Attachment 21)
Shelby Bretton, Private Citizen (Attachment 22)
