Georgia restricted transgender care for youth in 2023. Now Republicans are seeking an outright ban

ATLANTA (AP) — A year ago, Georgia lawmakers said they were striking a balance when they banned most gender-affirming surgeries and hormone replacement therapies for transgender people under 18, but let doctors continue prescribing puberty blockers and let minors then receiving hormone replacement therapies continue.

Now state Sen. Ben Watson, the Republican who led last year’s efforts, wants to tip that balance toward an outright ban. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Monday voted 8-5 to advance House Bill 1170, which would ban puberty blockers and end access to hormones for those already receiving therapy. The measure moves to the Senate for more debate.

Georgia is among at least 23 states that have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and most of those states face lawsuits.

A federal judge last year struck down Arkansas’ ban as unconstitutional and judges’ orders are in place temporarily blocking enforcement of bans in Idaho and Montana. A federal judge who had temporarily blocked Georgia’s ban said the state could resume enforcing the restriction after an appeals court panel in September allowed Alabama’s prohibition to be enforced.

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