OKLAHOMA CITY (February 17, 2023)— Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs President Jonathan Small today praised members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives for advancing legislation from committee that would prevent children from undergoing sex-reassignment surgeries, cross-sex hormones, or puberty blockers, before age 18. The bill also barred state funds from paying for youth to undergo those procedures.

“Anyone who has been a teenager will recall it is a time of both intense emotions and also uncertainty about your place in the world, which can lead to short-term thinking with little regard for long-term consequences,” Small said. “House lawmakers made the right decision when they chose to put sensible safeguards in place so children do not make irreversible decisions today that they may regret for the rest of their lives.

“Governor Kevin Stitt and the many lawmakers who have worked diligently to put these common-sense protections in place deserve our appreciation, including Rep. Kevin West, Rep. Jim Olsen, Sen. Warren Hamilton, Sen. David Bullard, Sen. Nathan Dahm, Sen. Shane Jett, Sen. Rob Standridge, and Sen. Julie Daniels.”

House Bill 2177 states that a medical official may not “knowingly engage” in practices “performed upon any person under eighteen (18) years of age if the practice is performed for the purpose of attempting to alter the appearance of or affirm the minor’s perception of his or her gender or biological sex, if that appearance or perception is inconsistent with the minor's biological sex …”

The bill won easy approval from members of the House Public Health Committee this week.

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs is a free-market think tank that works to advance principles and policies that support free enterprise, limited government, individual initiative and personal responsibility.

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